Cork City 2 Derry City 0 | Airtricity League

Cork City 2 Derry City 0

Wednesday, 07 October 2009 09:16

Cork City climbed above Derry City to third position in the FAI League of Ireland table as a result of a routine win at Turner’s Cross.

Two goals in a five minutes spell in the opening half left Cork comfortable winners against a Derry City missing several of their first-choice players. While Derry refused to accept a defeat that seemed inevitable once Cork opening up a two-goals lead they rarely stretched a capable Cork defence.

The playing conditions were remarkably good in views of the heavy rain that fell throughout the previous 24 hours but the absence of atmosphere in a stadium that was occupied by one of the smallest attendances of the season at 1,745 did little to lift the teams. The contest was largely uneventful.

The decisive sequence of play came mid-way through the first half. Derry were uncharacteristically suspect in defence which was, perhaps, understandable given that they were missing three of their regular centre-backs – Peter Hutton, Clive Delaney and Mark McChrystal.

They conceded a penalty in the 19^th minute when Kuduzovic and Billy Dennehy combined on the left wing for a low cross which was cut off by James McLean. He was ambushed by Guntars Silagailis who then tumbled over McLean’s out-stretched leg as he knocked the ball away from the defender.

Derry were not best pleased and the referee flashed a yellow card in the ensuing argument. Kuduzovic held his nerve and fired home the penalty to put Cork in front.

Derry’s agitation at the penalty award was evident in the subsequent play and they lapsed into error again in the 24^th minute. They conceded a silly free in midfield and when Dan Murray’s kick fell into the penalty area Kuduzovic pounced to win possession off Ger O’Brien. His low cross was turned in by Billy Dennehy.

Scoring chances were scarce at both ends. Derry were close to a goal in the 30^th minute when Kevin Deery fired a right-wing corner into the penalty area. The ball fell to Tom McManus but he seemed caught by surprise as it bounced narrowly wide off his knee.

Cork’s two goals advantage led to a drop in intensity in their performance after the interval and Derry proceeded to win a growing share of possession. Derry succeeded in controlling midfield to confine play to Cork’s half of the pitch for long periods.

David Scullion almost cut the deficit within a minute of the re-start when he dived to get his head to James McLean’s deep cross but the ball flew just outside. Mark Farren hammered a shot against the outside of an upright from where the ball rebounded into play in the 66^th minute and goalkeeper Dan Connor had to dive low to his left to turn a shot from Kevin Deery outside three minutes later.

Cork were wasteful in front of goal in breakaway attacks. Davin O’Neill and Guntars Silagailis failed to convert in the 62^nd minute when they were afforded a couple of chances in one prolonged assault in the penalty area with O’Neill finally shooting over from ten yards.

Teams:

Cork City: Connor; O’Halloran, Long, Murray, Murphy; O’Neill, Lordan, O’Donnell, Dennehy; Silagailis (Cambridge 83), Kuduzovic.

Derry City: Doherty; McGlynn, McCallion, O’Brien (McEleney 64), McLean; Scullion (Martyn 66), Deery, Higgins, Kearney; McManus (Nash 76), Farren.

Referee: Mr. R. Winter (Dublin).

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