Cummins leads Cork City charge against Sligo
SSE Airtricity Premier Division
Goals in the opening 15 minutes from Graham Cummins and Kieran Sadlier, who scored from a penalty, plus a second from Cummins within a minute of the second-half starting set up a third successive win.
Sligo scored a second-half goal from an Adam Morgan penalty but Cummins completed a lethal display in the north-west when he bagged a third goal in the last minute.
Cork came to the Showgrounds top of the table with a 100% record after wins over St Patrick’s Athletic and Waterford, while Sligo, who opened their campaign with a home loss to Limerick, kick-started their season the previous Friday with a defeat of Derry City.
The hosts, who hadn’t beaten Cork at home since an FAI Cup tie in 2013, made one change to their starting side from that which began against Derry City as Craig Roddan came in for Eduardo Pinceli.
Cork boss John Caulfield made just one alteration to the side that overcame Waterford 2-1 at Turner’s Cross three days before — Graham Cummins, back from suspension, came in for Garry Buckley, who dropped to the bench. The Cork side featured Kieran Sadlier, who was Sligo’s top scorer last season.
Cork were under pressure from the off. Sligo winger Caolan McAleer’s fizzing cross required some hasty clearances after 14 seconds and then Ally Roy’s shot, from David Cawley’s dinked pass, demanded a smart save from Mark McNulty.
But within minutes Cork took the lead. Sadlier was the author with a delivery from the right and Cummins scored with a neat close-range header to put Cork a goal up after three minutes.
Karl Sheppard went close to doubling the lead in the ninth minute when he headed just over from Sadlier’s tempting corner delivery.
The visitors went 2-0 ahead within two minutes after Sadlier rifled home from the spot, the penalty awarded after referee Derek Tomney spotted an infringement by Sligo centre-back Seamus Sharkey, who was booked.
The Cork onslaught continued — with Sligo struggling to contain their opponents during the one-sided early stages — and Gearoid Morrissey was only inches away from making it 3-0.
The home supporters joined the away fans in a minute’s applause in memory of Liam Miller after 22 minutes.
As the first-half unfolded, the litany of Cork chances continued — Gearoid Morrisey’s flicked header drifted wide and Mitchell Beeney, Sligo’s on-loan goalkeeper from Chelsea, dealt well with efforts from Sadlier and Sheppard, with Cummins stabbing the rebound over from the Sheppard attempt that was parried.
Gearoid Morrissey forced another good save from Beeney after 39 minutes as the likelihood of a third Cork goal lessened with half-time approaching but the Premier Division leaders remained in a comfortable position.
Overwhelmed Sligo then created their first chance since the opening minute when Rhys McCabe’s quickly-taken free found Caolan McAleer but the winger could only steer a shot over on the stroke of half-time.
Cork wrapped up the result a minute after the restart. Sligo’s defensive mix-up afforded Cummins the simple task of slotting home his second of the night.
A smart stop from Beeney denied Cummins a hat-trick in the 51st minute with Cork continuing to dominate and create chances almost at will against a creaking home rearguard that gave a debut to new signing Calum Waters, who came on for the second-half.
Sligo raised themselves out of their slumber when they pulled a goal back with half-an-hour remaining. A tidy move ended with a foul by Alan Bennett on McAleer in the Cork penalty and match official Tomney awarded the game’s second spot-kick — one that striker Adam Morgan dispatched with precision for his second goal in two games.
Cork were denied a fourth from a 67th-minute counter-attack when Beeney held on to Sadlier’s shot from a curling Cummins cross.
Sligo, who improved in the second-half, forced a series of corners in the last 15 minutes and from one of these midfielder David Cawley flashed a well-struck volley just wide of Mark McNulty’s right-hand upright.
The home side’s miserable night turned even worse with a straight red card for midfielder Rhys McCabe after 89 minutes and, a minute later, Cummins netted from close range to add gloss to a powerful Cork performance.
Beeney; Boylan, Callan-McFadden, Sharkey (Waters 46), McClean; Roddan (Wixted 65), McCabe, Cawley; McAleer, Morgan, Roy (Moorehouse 71)
McNulty; Beattie (Horgan 65), Barry, Bennett, Griffin; McCormack, Morrissey; Sadlier (Keohane 71), McNamee (Buckley 79), Sadlier; Cummins
Derek Tomney
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