Murphy and Mpongo star as Cork City hit Treaty United for four
Hans Mpongo scored a brace as Cork City beat Treaty United 4-0. Pic: Jim Coughlan.
Scrappy in parts, but certainly incisive when it mattered. Cillian Murphy and Hans Mpongo starred as Cork City fired off four second-half goals to seal a seventh consecutive First Division win, extending their lead at the top to 15 points on Friday evening.
They had started the second period in a much more threatening manner, and by the 52nd minute they had found the opener at Turner’s Cross in front of 2,105. It was an Mpongo assist to a Ruairí Keating finish, with the Dutchman’s cross placed perfectly for Keating to head to the corner and net his fifth goal in four games.
Once they had hit the first there was a sense that Treaty weren’t going to find a way back, and any doubt around that was shut down when the hosts added their next goal four minutes later.
Commencing with a Murphy tackle, he won possession, broke past one defender, then retained possession despite the challenge of another, before threading it through sweetly to Mpongo, and he drilled it into the top corner.
The Dutchman would get his brace in the 62nd minute, topping his earlier exploits of a left-footed assist by going and scoring with it, as he finished to the net from close range following an excellent lay-off from substitute Matthew Murray.
The third strike guaranteed the seventh straight win and drew another display of footwork from Mpongo, who decided to break out the moves and put on a show for the Brazilian guests in attendance.
City could have added a fourth two minutes after when Murphy slipped through again. He aimed his shot across goal toward the far corner, but it came off the post, and though City failed to convert the rebound, his chance would come.
After 84 minutes, Murphy got the goal his performance certainly merited, striking sweetly into the corner from just inside the box.
It was a result that didn’t exactly look likely after the first 45. Treaty United had spent the opening 30 in control and City sorely lacked rhythm. But, as has been the case for many of City’s opponents in the First Division this season, they couldn’t capitalise when they needed to.
The Leesiders’ best chance in the first half hour didn’t even materialise into a shot. Greg Bolger hooked away a weak Treaty corner kick up ahead to Murphy, but under pressure from two defenders, he would end up losing out to Robbie Lynch before he could get within range.
In the 35th minute, Ronan Manning teed up Cian Curtis and he went to ground in the box looking for a penalty, but referee Marc Lynch pointed for a corner. Then, in the final few minutes, City started to show a bit of quality.
Seani Maguire and Mpongo both had chances blocked, before Maguire played the ball out wide to O’Keeffe, and he floated the return pass into the box. Maguire got to it and fizzed one low towards the corner, but Kevin Fitzpatrick turned it around for a corner.
Mpongo put the pressure on again just before the break after a good pass from Murphy, but despite the liveliness the hosts still lacked end product. Charlie Lyons came close with a headed effort in the 54th minute, but City wouldn’t have to wait much longer for their breakthrough.
Brann; Drinan, Lyons (Downey 70), O’Connor, O’Keeffe; Crowley, Bolger (Bridge 66); Mpongo, Maguire (Murray 60), Murphy; Keating.
Fitzpatrick; R Lynch, Nwankwo, B Lynch; Byrne (Yoro 68), Murphy, Healy (Ohin 64), Manning (Conroy 64), Oyenuga (Lawlor 64); Curtis (Layne 83), Feeney.
M Lynch (Galway)
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
