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Cork City 0 Shamrock Rovers 0
Friday, 05 June 2009 08:21
Cork City failed to take advantage of Bohemians’ loss despite controlling their Premier Division tie against Shamrock Rovers before 3,133 spectators at Turner’s Cross.

Cork will wonder how they failed to turn their superiority to account for in every aspect of the game they were superior to Rovers. Despite their control of territory and possession, however, Cork never extended goalkeeper Robert Duggan in a game that only served to highlight how limited were both attacks.

Cork’s dominance was scarcely threatened in the opening 45 minutes when their goalkeeper Dan Connor was called into action only once, to comfortably save a shot from Stephen Rice that was struck from 25 yards after 41 minutes.

Cork confined play to Rovers’ half of the pitch with football that was urgent and aggressive. Cork have adopted a more direct style of play this season and it meant that great demands were placed upon Denis Behan at centre-forward.

Behand is nothing it not willing and their tactics gave them a huge territorial advantage, even if the long-ball approach meant they often surrendered possession cheaply.

Still there is no doubt Cork would have been securely in front before half-time had they made better use of their scoring chances. Right-winger Silagailis cornered the best of their chances but his finishing left much to be desired.

He ran clear when full-back Ian Bermingham slipped while in possession after just three minutes but then shot wildly over from 16 yards. Within 60 seconds he headed over a good cross from Danny Murphy and was high, wide and not so handsome again from 14 yards when Behan found him with a headed pass in the 45^th minute.

This was the filling in a sandwich of three rapid-fire attacks with which Cork finished the first half. A cross from Colin Healy on the right skidded just beyond the reach of Behan in the 44^th minute and in added time Joe Gamble’s left foot shot from just outside the area flew just outside off Darragh Maguire’s body.

Gamble was a surprise inclusion after sustaining a knee injury against Bohemians a week previously and he combined with Healy and Stephen O’Donnell to rule midfield.

Rovers moved to counter by adding players to their midfield set-up and leaving Gary Twigg alone up front. They introduced two substitutes at the start of the second half but it was a move that did not promise when after Sean O’Connor was yellow-carded for needlessly going down under Dan Murray’s tackle in the 53^rd minute.

The referee’s decisive action was indicative of his efficient performance, an efficiency that was not matched by either team. Rovers were very defensive even if this was a role that was imposed upon them while the aerial bombardment launched by Cork produced relatively little given their dominance of possession.

Cork continued to press forward throughout the second half but Rovers defended in numbers and afforded them little breathing space in the penalty area. Goalkeeper Robert Duggan was, like his opposite number Connor, untroubled.

Cork had one fleeting opportunity of taking advantage of Bohemians’ loss in the 87^th minute when Billy Dennehy somehow rescued a ball that was headed wide and his crosws on the run was met at the far upright by another substitute, Timmy Kiely. He got his instep to the ball but could only deflect it outside.

Cork City: Connor; Sullivan, O’Halloran, Murray, Murphy; Silagailis (Kiely 86), O’Donnell (Dennehy 70), Gamble, Kuduzovic (Duggan 82); Healy, Behan.

Shamrock Rovers: Duggan: Treacy, Maguire, Price, Bermingham; Bradley, Rice, Robinson (Purcell 76), Cahill (O’Connor 46); Twigg, Baker (Cameron 46).

Referee: Mr. R. Winter (Dublin).
 
 
 
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