Second-half City onslaught downs Treaty United

Cork City's Ruairi Keating celebrates his goal with Matt Srbely against Treaty United during the SSE Airtricity first division game at Turner's Cross. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Cork City 3 Treaty United 0

Rather than the early flurry of goals that downed Treaty United last time, Cork City were made wait till past the hour for the blitz to overcome their Munster rivals and stay top of the First Division.

The first of three goals in the space of three minutes against a resolute but limited Treaty came on 64 minutes through Ruairí Keating’s low drive, added to within a minute by Matt Healy. Substitute Cian Bargary made it 3-0 with another shot, this time from inside the box.

With nearest rivals Galway winning, City needed victory to maintain their three-point buffer and they head to basement side Athlone Town on Friday undefeated in 11 games.

In a bid to refresh his side from the rigours of three games in seven days, Colin Healy rotated his squad with four changes. Out went Bargary, Cian Murphy, Jonas Hakkinen and two-goal hero from Friday’s 4-1 comeback win over Longford Town, Barry Coffey.

Teenage striker Mark O’Mahony was one of the policy beneficiaries and within two minutes thought he’d set up the opener.

Chasing a ball that his marker Joe Gormley felt was a lost cause, the Ireland underage cut back a cross from the end-line that Matt Healy struck first-time. Although his 20-yard shot rattled the net, referee Oliver Moran adjudged that Sean Guerins had been shoved in the box.

It didn’t take long for City fans to begin whistling at Jack Brady’s delayed kick-outs, the goalkeeper seemingly unsure of which side of the six-yard box to place the ball.

Fifth-placed Treaty were always facing an uphill task to contain the full-timers but twice fashioned chances in the first half on the counter-attack.

Dean George – whose brace had the Limerick side in command against Galway last Friday before they crumbled late on – made space in the box on 10 minutes, only to see his effort deflected wide.

His teammate Jack Lynch did at least test David Harrington with his 26th minute attempt but the goalkeeper dealt easily with a shot straight at him.

It was otherwise a half of dominance by the league leaders. Darragh Crowley’s shot down the throat of Brady was the closest they came before a late rally that should have yielded the opener.

Ruairí Keating flashed his 39th-minute shot across goal and Mark O’Mahony didn’t get enough connection on his header to guide Matt Healy’s cross home within 60 seconds. Brady was then twice called upon to display his reflexes as the interval loomed, palming away Healy’s 30-yard piledriver and getting a hand too when Aaron Bolger’s driving run into the box ended with a left-footed curler towards the top corner.

The flow continued in the same vein after the restart, Healy denied again by Joe Gorman’s 50th-minute block. More culpable, however, was Keating from the corner.

A ping-pong exchange of headers from Ally Gilchrist and Crowley gave the striker a sight on goal from six yards but he volleyed wide.

The veteran striker kept to his task and got rewarded with the breakthrough just past the hour, drilling a delightful shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

Within a minute, Treaty were reeling from another concession. On this occasion, Healy’s specialist footwork from distance was made to count when he left Brady helpless with the latest exhibit of his collection.

The Shed were baying for more and the third duly arrived. Treaty’s defence was left scrambling from another attack, switching off to leave Bargary unmarked at the back post. His shot, albeit without an angle, carried enough power to beat a disconsolate Brady.

CORK CITY: D Harrington; C Coleman (B Coffey 80), A Gilchrist, K O’Connor (J Hakkinen 33); D Crowley, M Healy, A Bolger (J Honohan 80), J Doona (C Bargary 60); M Srbely; R Keating, M O’Mahony (C Murphy 60).

TREATY UNITED: J Brady; C Fleming, J Gorman, S Guerins, M Ludden; C McNamara (W Armshaw 76), J Collins (C Conroy 85); M Keane (C Melody 70), J Lynch, L Devitt; D George (J Arra 76).

Referee: Oliver Moran 

Attendance: 2496.