Colin Healy tips Barry Coffey to thrive at Cork City
Barry Coffey celebrates scoring Cork City's 95th-minute equaliser against St Patrick's Athletic at Turner's Cross. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Colin Healy has tipped Celtic loanee Barry Coffey to thrive at Cork City after hitting the ground running in his first month.
The Nenagh native plundered a last-gasp equaliser to send Friday’s FAI Cup last-16 tie against St Patrick’s Athletic to extra-time, a clash they eventually lost 4-1 on penalties.
Coffey is on Leeside until the end of the season, at least, with seven league games remaining in the First Division.
Back-to-back home games over the next two Fridays against Paul Doolin’s Athlone Town and leaders Shelbourne are first up. City are aware a near-perfect return of points is necessary to erode the 11-point gap to the playoff zone.
“Barry has been fantastic for us,” said Healy, who has previously worked with 20-year-old Coffey in the Ireland underage ranks.
“I always want more from him, on the pitch and in the way he trains.
“He’s got good fitness levels and he’s a goalscorer. He showed that against Cobh and again against St Pat’s on Friday.
“Sometimes it can be difficult playing as a midfielder in 4-4-2, as he was against St Pat’s.
“We’re asking him to get into the box and he gave it everything. The boys love him.”
On the bigger picture, that City pushed Stephen O’Donnell’s Premier Division title-chasers so close was encouraging. It was their first defeat in eight matches.
“We knew this would take time but I felt we were the better team against St Pat’s,” said Healy about the project he took over this season following relegation to the second tier.
“Everyone was saying our centre-forwards were not getting goals but we’ve scored 15 times in the last seven matches. The young lads are starting to show what they can do; we're getting better and better. ”
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