Cork City draw a building block for Neale Fenn
Scoring goals remains an issue for Cork City but they did at least pick up a first away point as Saturday afternoon’s Munster derby at the Regional Sports Centre in Waterford finished scoreless.
The Rebel Army briefly moved off the bottom of the table before Sligo Rovers’ win over Shelbourne – though Neale Fenn’s side needed a Ronan Hurley goal-line block to prevent Waterford sub Will Fitzgerald from scoring an injury-time winner.
John Sheridan’s Blues had more chances throughout but failed to create too many clear-cut opportunities, with City captain Alan Bennett leading a strong defensive effort. However, the hosts were incensed early in the second half when City’s Kevin O’Connor looked to have used his hands to stop Kurtis Byrne from scoring.
Having lost their three away games before the lockdown, this result represented progress for City.
“They’re little things to build on,” Fenn said.
“A clean sheet, a first away point – you’ll take anything when you are where we are.
“I thought we played well today in patches and dominated parts of the game and looked comfortable.
“There’s plenty to build on.”
City played in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with O’Connor joining centre-backs Joseph Olowu and Alan Bennett as Rob Slevin came into the side at left wing-back.
Dáire O’Connor and Cory Galvin were also added to the team and played off Cian Murphy but both were forced off with injury, meaning Fenn will have to readjust for tomorrow night’s FAI Cup game with Longford Town.
“We felt that, after the Bohs game, we were fine defensively,” Fenn said.
“We didn’t think we had much to worry about there. Obviously, going forward, Deshane [Dalling] was out so we felt we didn’t have a player on that wing that could play there, so the best option was to play Cory and Dáire inside and that was working well for a while until they got injured.
“When the luck isn’t going your way, these things happen but that’s football, we’re not going to complain about things like that. We’re just going to have to get on with it and the boys that play on Tuesday are going to have to be ready.”
Chances were at a premium in the first half and the first sight of goal wasn’t until a Kevin O’Connor free kick in the 21st minute, which he curled wide. Towards the end of the opening period, Waterford improved and Matt Smith should have done better from a low Alastair Coote cross but he shot over.
After the resumption, Waterford again held the initiative. First, a good delivery from right-back Tunmise Sobowale found Michael O’Connor but he couldn’t keep his shot down. Not long after, a move originating from the left looked like it only needed Byrne to tap in but he was denied by Kevin O’Connor – unfairly, in the eyes of Waterford.
Two minutes later, insult was almost added to injury as City sub McGlade – on at half-time for the injured Dáire O’Connor – had a shot from the edge of the area which came back off the crossbar.
By and large, though, Waterford had the better of the second half without really threatening to score. That was until the very end, when Tyreke Wilson’s cross found Smith in the box and he did well to help it on for sub Will Fitzgerald, who looked set to score but Ronan Hurley – only just on for Rob Slevin – blocked and Mark McNulty claimed the loose ball.
After, Waterford assistant manager Fran Rockett was left perplexed with the penalty decision.
“The referee said it was handball,” he said, “but he didn’t give it because the player couldn’t move his hand out of the way. You’re getting into grey areas.
“If it’s outside the box, the free is given. I can’t push him anymore. It was disappointing given how big an opportunity it would have given us to progress.”
Nevertheless, with four points from six since the restart, Rockett was pleased to put a strange week – in which club doctor Sinéad Fitzpatrick resigned due to concerns around potential Covid-19 cases – behind him.
“We’ve no comment because I’m not up to date with everything,” he said.
“The whole world is going through this whole madness. There are so many grey areas on it.
“Everyone has to do their due diligence, you’d like to think. Waterford are no different. Nobody is out to do any harm to anybody, we’re trying to pull together.”
Murphy; Sobowale, Bone, McCourt, Wilson; Coote, Weir, Griffin, Smith; O’Connor (Fitzgerald 67), Byrne.
McNulty; Olowu, Bennett, K O’Connor; Kargbo, Coleman, Ochieng, Slevin (Hurley 90); D O’Connor (McGlade ht), Galvin (Bargary 70); Murphy.
A Reale (Kildare).
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