Wasteful in attack, City's stingy defence creaks as Derry seal cup progress
MISSED CHANCES: Cork City's Ruairi Keating and Cian Coleman dejected as Derry City progress in their FAI Cup clash. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane
Cork City’s stingy defensive record along their romp to the First Division crown deserted them as Sam Todd settled this FAI Cup clash with a free header.
Twelve clean sheets from their 15 games at Turner’s Cross has been the bedrock to bouncing straight back from relegation and yet Tim Clancy will fume at how easily the substitute was allowed nod in Ciaran Coll’s corner 18 minutes from the end. He’ll be equally aghast of their first-half dominance proving fruitless, especially with such quality forwards on the pitch to convert.
It was seven years and a month since Seani Maguire started his last game for City at Turner’s Cross, the Europa League tie against AEK Larnaca. He signed off with his 50th league goal of his 18-month spell against Bray Wanderers the following week but the strike most frequently recounted by City’s fanbase came in the FAI Cup.
His extra-time finish in the 2016 decider at Lansdowne Road not alone ended a nine-year wait for the trophy but broke the stranglehold Dundalk has taken on domestic the scene.
Maguire’s artillery, over a half season before his move to Preston North End, ensured City would wrestle the league crown off the Lilywhites too. Those heady days are what the 30-year-old was mindful of when rebuffing Premier Division offers.
Getting back to the top-flight is first up.
That should be wrapped up within a few weeks with lots of games to spare but the thought process around forking out for premium captures Maguire and Ruairi Keating in this window is sharing the stage on a regular basis with heavyweights like Derry City.
Maguire, having made a brief cameo off the bench against Athlone Town last week, faced something of a makeshift defence due to Mark Connolly sustaining an injury on the eve of the fixture.
In direct combat against the gangly Shane McEleney, his trademark niftiness was effective in turning his marker. None of that skillset has eluded him at the age of 30.
The Rebels were the team who seemed Premier class in the first half but their wastefulness generated a sense of foreboding. On the chance count front, it was six to one for the hosts without it being reflected in end product.
While interventions from Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher and Coll were crucial in keeping it scoreless at the break, profligacy was the main contributor. All of the attackers were guilty, starting with Keating smashing a shot from eight yards over the bar when Derry failed to clear from a corner.
That was eight minutes in and five minutes later the stadium held its breath when Maguire dashed into space on the right side of the penalty area, only to drag his shot marginally wide of the far post.
Opportunities continued to be spurned by the dream-team attacking pair. Maguire sidefooted wide before Maher advanced to foil Keating. On the stroke of half-time, Keating did succeed in dinking the ball over the goalkeeper but Coll scampered back to produce a goal-line clearance.
Brad Wade in the home goal was tested just once in that half, shovelling the ball around his post from Paul McMullan’s angled shot early on. That opening arose from a free-kick won by McMullan after being scythed down by Charlie Lyons, punished with one of four first-half bookings.
Outplayed for large periods, Derry had to improve in the second half and they gradually did as the spaces opened up for Will Patching to dictate.
His midfield companion, local lad Adam O’Reilly, made a different type of impact by being substituted moments after incurring a booking and his replacement supplied the decisive moment.
Patching’s deflected shot forced the corner which led to the strapping centre-back connecting. Further frailties from another corner ought to have seen McEleney add a second.
That miss offered hope of City forcing extra-time and late on Keating forced Maher to tip his rising shot over. Greg Bolger, too, muscled into the box but couldn’t keep his header on-target. A harsh lesson they’ll have time to remedy for next year’s similar challenges.
B Wade; D Crowley, C Coleman, C Lyons, E McLaughlin; G Bolger, S Murray; C O’Sullivan, R Keating, M Dijksteel (C Murphy 76); S Maguire.
B Maher; C Dummigan, S McEleney, C Coll, B Doherty; W Patching, A O’Reilly (S Todd 53); P McMullan (D Kelly 87), D Mullen (S Diallo 72), M Duffy; P Hoban.
Marc Lynch (Galway).
3,169.
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