Champions Cork City hit UCD for five as Student's First Division playoff hopes take hit

Ruairí Keating bagged a hat trick on the night. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

LOI First Div: Cork City 5 UCD 1 

UCD’s hopes of taking top seed in the First Division Promotion Playoffs have been hit hard, just like that. They were hammered here, but the bigger concern will be Bray’s 2-0 win over Treaty United, which saw UCD slip to third, four points ahead of Cobh Ramblers.

Cork City walked away with this one at Turner’s Cross on Friday evening, their early goal glut paving the way for the dominant victory.

The Leesiders completely overpowered the Students in the first half; Ruairi Keating netting a hat-trick inside 27 minutes, before Seani Maguire added the fourth. The result was long settled then – though a couple more goals would come in the latter period – but it was a worrying performance from the visitors. City had started well, Cillian Murphy and Hans Mpongo showing their intent with early chances, before City went ahead with Keating’s first. Conor Drinan fired a ball into the area, UCD squandered it, and it fell perfectly to Keating who finished to the net on 15 minutes, despite Dara Kavanagh’s best efforts to close the space.

Josh Fitzpatrick fizzed wide three minutes later after Chris N’Sa’s threaded pass, but City were through again two minutes later and Keating converted. Quick thinking from Crowley set Keating up, and while his first effort was saved, he knocked home the rebound after 20 minutes.

By the 27th minute Keating had his hat-trick, drilling a penalty to the top corner after Harry Curtis brought down Murphy in the box.

Louis Dignam had a great chance to hit one back for UCD in the 31st minute, but they were very fortunate not to concede another immediately after when City countered and Maguire hit the post.

Maguire got himself on the scoresheet nine minutes later after a beautiful one-two move with Keating, before slotting to the corner to keep the rout going.

On the restart, Maguire had a chance to add his second with Kavanagh off his line, but struck it just over the crossbar. In the 49th minute, Rory Feely felled Dignam inside the box and Hugh Smith drove it to the bottom corner to grab a consolation.

Still, City weren’t finished, and they broke through for their fifth in the 52nd minute. Perhaps the best of the lot, N’Sa floated a stunning ball over the top to Maguire. He controlled it, carried it forward and slotted it perfectly into the net from the tightest of angles.

Charles Akinrintoyo forced a good save from Conor Brann on the hour but the visitors were sorely lacking cohesion, particularly at the back.

By this stage, both camps began emptying the bench – City handing appearances to academy boys Ike Manjor-Georgewill and Tom McGrath – while the hosts again threated a sixth, this time when Maguire teed up Fitzpatrick in the 72nd minute, but his effort was kept out.

It ended comfortable for the league champions, whose lead at the top now stands at 21. 

CORK CITY (3-4-1-2): Brann; N’Sa (Manjor-Georgewill 62), Feely, Drinan; Fitzpatrick, O’Keeffe (Aidoo 66), Crowley (McGrath 62), Mpongo; Murphy (Bolger 62), Maguire, Keating (Murray 55).

UCD (4-2-3-1): Kavanagh; Holohan (Bolton 65), Murphy (Ogbonna 75), Curtis (Sheeran 65), Cailloce; Dignam, Wells; McCullagh, Behan (Morley 65), Akinrintoyo; Smith (Alonge 75).

Referee: D Toland