Cork City forced to work but eventually get back to winning ways

Ruairi Keating of Cork City celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal. Pic: Matthew Harvey/Sportsfile

Finn Harps 0 Cork City 3  

First Division leaders Cork City bounced back to winning ways after a trio of defeats, but they had to work hard to see off the challenge of plucky bottom-of-the-table Finn Harps at Finn Park.

What turned out to be the crucial goal came on 67 minutes and there was a touch of good fortune about it for Barry Robson’s side as Darragh Crowley’s strongly hit ball in from near the post went in off luckless defender Joel Bradley-Walsh.

The scoreline suggests a comfortable victory but there was a gloss on the scoreline as City’s second and third goals from Ruairi Keating and Cillian Murphy respectively came in the 88th and 89th minutes.

Ultimately, though, City deserved the win and with Bray being thumped by Kerry, the Turner’s Cross men now move 17 points clear at the summit.

Meanwhile, for Harps' new interim head coach Patrick McEleney it may have been a defeat but there were still positives to take from the game with no lack of endeavour from his side. 

City dominated the early proceedings with the Donegal side struggling to get out of their own half and Harps goalkeeper Lorenzo Barboza was kept busy.

Following their fourth corner, on 15 minutes, Barbosa did fail to collect and the ball spun loose, but Cork appeals for handball were promptly dismissed.

Harps’ first venture of note into opposition territory saw Darragh Coyle winning them their first corner on 17 minutes but before it could be taken the home side were dealt a major blow as trusty defender Conor Tourish - who is actually Harps’ top scorer this season - had to depart having picked up a shoulder injury and was replaced by teenager Josh Cullen.

City’s best chance of the opening quarter stemmed from a wayward clearance from Coyle which fell into the path of Greg Bolger on the edge of the box. However, despite being in space and with time, he skewed his shot well off the target.

Shortly afterwards, on a rare counter-attack Guilherme Priosti got into a good position but his shot was capably saved by Conor Brann.

Harps gave a debut to Ciaron Harkin, on loan from Sligo Rovers for the rest of the campaign, and he picked up a booking on 32 minutes as he conceded a free that saw Bolger laying the ball off to Darragh Crowley, whose well-struck shot forced Barboza into making a decent save.

It was a tighter affair in the third quarter with neither side able to conjure up anything of note.

Cork finally broke the deadlock when Crowley’s ball in - more of a cross than shot - saw its path altered into the net as it came off Bradley-Walsh.

Hans Mpongo then went close twice to scoring against his former club as City really began to take control of proceedings, with the second chance being thwarted by a point-blank save from Barbosa.

In the closing minutes, Keating and Murphy struck as City stretched their unbeaten run against Harps to 24 games, dating back to 2010.

Finn Harps: Barbosa: Hutchison, Tourish (Cullen, 20 mins), Bradley-Walsh, Coyle; Brogan, McNamee, Harkin; Priosti (McAteer, 68 mins), Monteiro; Lumingo (Bosakani, 52 mins).

Cork City: Brann; Feely, Kelleher, Lyons, Drinan; Fitzpatrick (Maguire, 57 mins), Crowley, Bolger (O’Keeffe, 57 mins), Murphy; Keating, Mpongo (Nevin, 79 mins).

Referee: Alan Patchell (Dublin).