High five as Cork City build to the new season with a fresh tactical approach

Cork City 5 Limerick 0

A MUCH-CHANGED Cork City, not so much in terms of personnel, but in terms of shape and tactics, had a very easy win over Limerick at the Farm on Saturday.

John Caulfield’s City started in a 3-5-2 formation. McNulty started in goal while the three centre-halves were Aaron Barry on the left, Dan Casey in the middle and Conor McCarthy on the right side of the back trio.

The two wide men in the five were Colm Horgan and Shane Griffin while Garry Buckley was partnered in the middle of the park by Gary Comerford and James Tilley with Karl Sheppard and Ronan Coughlan up front.

Played on a muddy and very uneven surface, City were too good for their visitors and even though they finished the game with 10 men due to a lack of substitutions, City were never troubled throughout the 90 minutes.

They opened the scoring after two minutes when Gary Comerford headed home from a corner which came from a direct result of some great play from James Tilley.

They were 2-0 up after 15 minutes when Limerick’s centre half was caught in possession and an alert Ronan Coughlan took advantage to slot home City’s second.

It remained at two until the break and City were thankful to Mark McNulty one minute into the second half for keeping the score at two as he made a great save from Connor Ellis who took advantage of a Shane Griffin mistake.

City were soon three up when Barry finished after a superb cross from the right by Coughlan created the chance for him. Despite making several changes, City remained on top and were soon four up when Graham Cummins’ perfectly waited pass found Ronan Hurley at the edge of the six-yard box and he made no mistake from close range.

The final goal came shortly after when following some scrappy defending by Limerick, Graham Cummins poked the ball home from six yards.

City were down to 10 men at this stage after Ronan Coughlan was substituted in the 60th minute but City had used all their substitutions at that stage and weren’t too bothered playing the last half hour one man short.

They are due to play St Mary’s on Wednesday night in Kilcully where the rest of the first squad will get a run out as John Caulfield eases them all back into action before the President’s Cup final on February 9 in Turner’s Cross against Dundalk.

CORK CITY: M McNulty, C McCarthy, D Casey, A Barry, C Horgan, G Buckley, G Comerford, J Tilley, S Griffin, K Sheppard, R Coughlan.

Subs: T Ryan for M McNulty, G Cummins for S Griffin, C McCormack for G Buckley, P Philips for G Comerford, S Daly Butz for C Horgan.

LIMERICK: T Holland, C Fleming, S Russell, R Williams, K Brouder, A Fitzgerald, J Hughes, C Ellis, S McSweeney, W Fitzgerald.

Referee: G Kelly.