Cork City's momentum continues with win over Sligo
Cork City leapfrogged Sligo Rovers to move up to eighth place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table as they made it two wins in a week at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.
Having beaten Longford Town in the FAI Cup on Tuesday night, City earned their first league victory – and scored their first league goals – since February 28 as Sligo’s good recent run was ended with goals from Deshane Dalling, Kit Elliott, and Ricardo Dinanga.
City gave debuts to new attackers Scott Fenwick and teenager Elliott – on loan from Huddersfield Town – and they were two of seven alterations to the side from Tuesday’s victory. Perhaps it was the element of unfamiliarity that meant it took City a while to settle, with Sligo brighter in the opening stages as they looked to build on wins over Derry City and Shelbourne since the resumption of football.
They had a good early opportunity as Ryan De Vries set up midfielder Darragh Noone, who drew a save from Mark McNulty, while captain David Cawley impressed as they moved the ball well but he should have gone closer with a long-range shot. None of this was witnessed by WatchLOI subscribers, however, as a technical issue prevented the game from being streamed online.
When City did make a foray into the Sligo area just before the quarter-hour, Elliott looked like he was in but, when he down under a challenge and referee Robert Harvey blew his whistle, it was to book the attacker for diving. Other than that, Sligo continued to make better use of possession and Jesse Devers was twice given opportunities, played in by Cawley and Noone respectively, but failed to find the target.
However, having been on the back foot for the opening half-hour, City took the lead on 34 minutes with their first league goal since February 28. Elliott was the provider for Dalling, who was able to carry the ball forward and fire a low 20-yard shot past Ed McGinty.
A second goal almost arrived in the wake of that as Dalling fed left wing-back Rob Slevin in the area and his low shot looked to be going in only for an important sliding intervention by Sligo’s Regan Donelon.
It was Donelon who had the final opportunity of the half, with a free-kick, but McNulty did well to save at the expense of a corner.
For the second half, Sligo brought on last year’s top scorer Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, who had netted a hat-trick at the Cross for Derry City, and they almost found an equaliser in the first minute of the second period as Noone went close.
Apart from that, though, City had the better of the exchanges and Cian Coleman should have done better when he got his head to a Kevin O’Connor free-kick but couldn’t get the direction right.
After Elliott had had an earlier chance saved by McGinty, he was fouled in the area on 77 when O’Connor kept the ball alive following a corner and he took the penalty himself, stroking the ball down the middle.
Sligo tried to find a response as Cawley sent a low long-range shot straight at McNulty, Lewis Banks’ cross was unable to be met by anyone, and sub Teemu Penninkangas was nearly in only for a great challenge by Uniss Kargbo.
City had done enough as the game moved into the fourth minute of injury time but Dinanga, the scorer of the winner against Longford, rounded off a great week after his introduction as a sub when he fired home a left-footed shot.
McNulty; Olowu, Bennett, K O’Connor; Kargbo, Coleman, Ochieng, Slevin; Dalling; Elliott (McGlade 90), Fenwick (Dinanga 74).
McGinty; Kane, Olberkis (Banks 61), McFadden, Donelon (Penninkangas 75); Noone, Morahan (Murray), Cawley; Devers (Ogedi-Uzokwe half-time), Coughlan, De Vries.
R Harvey (Dublin).
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