Cork City and Treaty remain unbeaten after frantic stalemate

SEEING RED: Lee Devitt of Treaty United, 5, is shown a red card by referee Oliver Moran. Pic: Michael P Ryan, Sportsfile

League of Ireland First Division: Treaty United 0 Cork City 0 

Both sides remain unbeaten after this Munster derby stalemate but Cork City are the title contender with an early three-point lead in the pursuit of promotion.

On a night 3,146 filed into Markets Field, the fare was plucky rather than pretty.

Five bookings, including one for Cork City boss Tim Clancy, was followed in the last minute by a red after Lee Devitt’s late tackle on Harry Nevin.

It was Treaty who might have nicked it to go level with their provincial rivals – Stephen Christopher blazing wide of the near post when sent clear into the box with the goal at mercy.

There will be three more occasions this season to disrupt City from their mission of an immediate return to the Premier, without the risk of navigating the playoffs.

Last year was the most disappointing in Treaty’s short existence as a senior set-up since 2021.

Having belied their fully amateur status to reach the playoffs in the first two years, they were denied a hat-trick by finishing sixth, three points behind Athlone Town.

The season was only over when news emerged of Tricor Pacific Capital, a Vancouver-based investment firm family, completing a surprise takeover of the club.

Former Ireland international Ciara McCormack was the catalyst, the Canadian-born Treaty player convincing the well-heeled newcomers to bankroll the club in a move that saw her promoted to chief executive, the first female to hold such an exalted position at an Irish club.

There was no immediate largesse for manager Tommy Barrett to compete with the likes of Cork City when it came to recruitment. 

Infrastructural improvements and community engagement were listed as priorities.

Little has changed for Treaty boss other than the freshness a change of ownership and focus can bring.

That he lost defensive Sean Guerins due to work commitments indicated there was no sudden shift in the set-up and the shrewd eye for a player was depended upon again.

A few were enlisted from First Division champions Galway United, including two defenders Enda O’Connor and Oisin O’Reilly, but one of John Caulfield’s loanees, teenager David Tarmey, succumbed to injury midway through the opening half.

The sole striker’s slot was then occupied by Enda Curran, the club’s record scorer who bagged 20 times in the 2022 season that they also reached the FAI Cup semi-finals.

He was swift to make an impact off the bench, venturing into scoring positions in each half only to see his attempts blocked.

His first sight on goal was the clearest of the first half, receiving a slide-rule pass from Devitt on the left side of the box.

A moment of hesitation to unload his shot allowed Charlie Lyons lunge across and deflect the effort out for a corner.

That came shortly after a purple patch Cork enjoyed against the run of play.

Throw-ins hurtled into the box by highly-rated Treaty youngster Robbie Lynch had roused a boisterous home crowd without it gaining much traction. Cian Coleman and Lyons dealt manfully as the set-pieces rained in and the showers teemed down.

It was a battle ideal for Greg Bolger. The City midfielder didn’t allow the mesh of tackles to diminish his footballing prowess either, for on 28 minutes he roamed forward to unleash a shot that cleared the crossbar by a yard.

Evan McLaughlin, operating ahead of Bolger in the centre, four minutes later also fired from distance. His rasping effort did find the target but Corey Chambers prevented it from, arrowing into the top corner by palming it out for a corner.

That was the flurry of action following a tepid opening half hour and it was a similarly slow start to the second for goalmouth action.

Jack Doherty had spent time at the city’s previous incarnation, Limerick FC, a decade ago but this year is the spark the Rebels have hung their attacking hat on.

He’d collected four goals in advance and came within inches of adding another with a free-kick that whistled wide with eight minutes left.

By that stage, the two Cians – Bargary and Murphy – were introduced for the visitors but couldn’t pinch it on a frantic night. In time this may well be a point City cherish in achieving their objective.

TREATY UNITED: C Chambers; R Lynch, E O’Connor, B O’Riordan, O O’Reilly; L Devitt, M Walsh; T Considine, Y Mahdy (S Costelloe 76), S Christopher; D Tarmey (E Curran 26).

CORK CITY: B Wade; H Nevin, C Coleman, C Lyons, J O’Donovan; G Bolger, N Brookwell (C Murphy 78); E McLaughlin (C Bargary 68), J Fitzpatrick, N Wood; J Doherty.

Referee: Oliver Moran (Dublin).

Attendance: 3,146.