Cork City draw blank for a second week running
Cork City drew a black for the second week running as they had to settle for a point against Longford Town at Bishopsgate.
In their first outing of the season, Longford shaded the chances in a dour contest on a bitterly cold evening in the midlands as the result sees City drop to third place in the First Division table.
Cork did have a goal disallowed late on before Barry Coffey almost snatched the win in stoppage time but for the save of the game from Luke Dennison.
Seeing action for the first time this season, Longford donned their yellow and blue away kit in solidarity with Ukraine; half the gate receipts also donated to the Red Cross to help with humanitarian aid for the wartorn country.
Longford started the better and had the first shot in anger on four minutes, though Eric Molloy’s drive lacked the venom to trouble David Harrington.
City soon played their way into the game, creating the only two clearcut chances of the opening half.
Longford failed to clear Cian Bargary’s 23rd minute free kick into their area after Ruairi Keating was upended by Mick McDonnell. Keating then saw his downward header pushed away at full stretch by Dennison.
A minute later Town again failed to clear their lines from a throw-in. Aaron Bolger found Keating in the area with the striker taking a fine controlling touch to get turned and rifle just wide.
A bright start to the second half from Longford brought them their first real chances of the game.
Skipper Sam Verdon looped a header from Dean McMenamy’s free kick wide four minutes in.
Scarcely a minute later, frantic defending prevented City from falling behind.
Ryan Graydon broke on the right to cross with Dean McMenamy’s drive brilliantly deflected over the top by the retreating Kieran Coates.
With Longford dominating since the restart, Cork had another let off on the hour mark.
Darren Craven’s drive was blocked. But it sat up invitingly for Aaron Robinson whose left foot volley from the edge of the area whizzed past Harrington’s righthand post.
City’s first threat of the second half didn’t materialise until the 67th minute when Matt Srbely met a cross which he headed wide.
Loose defending back at the other end seven minutes later presented Longford with yet another chance they wasted, Graydon bouncing a volley off target following a scramble in the visitors area.
Cork rallied late on and did have the ball in the Longford net on 85 minutes.
Teenager Mark O’Mahony’s first involvement off the bench set up Murphy in the area to turn and shoot to the net. But it was disallowed for offside.
Cork then almost gave their small band of travelling fans some cheer a minute into stoppage time.
Substitute Matt Healy’s floated free kick was met by Coffey whose header was acrobatically tipped over by Dennison.
