Ruairí Keating fires Cork City to vital victory against Sligo Rovers

Cork City 3 Sligo Rovers 0

A hat-trick by Ruairí Keating helped Cork City on their way to a crucial victory in their battle for Premier Division survival against Sligo Rovers at Turner's Cross.

With Drogheda United beating UCD, it looks like it will come down to a battle between Sligo and Cork City to try to avoid the relegation playoff spot. This result can inject some much-needed confidence into this City side over the closing stages of the season.

With time and games running out, this September Friday night had the feeling of one which was going to prove to be a significant one in the battle to avoid the potential minefield of the relegation playoffs.

In what was a tight and tense opening to proceedings, Sligo threatened in the opening minutes through a shot from Reece Hutchinson on the edge of the penalty area. While moments later Fabrice Hartmann, who is on loan at Sligo from German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, got a shot away for the visitors that curled over.

Sligo had a great chance to score on 18 minutes when Frank Liivak ran unchallenged into the penalty area, but his effort from close range was vitally blocked down by City captain Cian Coleman.

With 2017 Cork City double-winner Garry Buckley in their ranks, Sligo were on top at the midway point of the opening half and sensed a goal might be there for them.

However and out of nowhere, in the 26th minute, Cork City were given the perfect chance to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty kick.

Following a back pass to his path, Sligo goalkeeper Conor Walsh took a heavy touch in his box. City attacker Jaze Kabia saw an opportunity to win the ball and after racing in, he was taken down by the visiting netminder.

Up stepped a reliable scoring weapon for Cork in Ruairí Keating, who confidently dispatched the spot kick to the back of the net.

That appeared to give City an added confidence boost and in the 34th minute, they almost had a second, when a Josh Honohan header from a Ben Worman cross was tipped around the post by Sligo netminder Walsh.

Despite the growth in the Leesideers' momentum, Sligo Rovers provided a warning shot of the danger they could provide still when Hartmann fired wide from a good position in the box. But at the break, it was City that held the advantage and were halfway to securing a crucial victory.

Sligo dangerman Hartmann almost got the away side on level terms early in the second half, when his curling strike forced a good save out of City goalkeeper Ollie Byrne.

Sensing a second goal was going to be required, City went close when Ben Worman was just unable to get onto the end of the decent cross from Cian Bargary just shy of the hour mark.

The night was getting better for City when goal number two did indeed arrive with 65 minutes played on the clock.

Following the quick thinking of Cian Bargary to take a long throw-in, Keating was away and he subsequently slotted the ball home with a crisply taken finish to the bottom corner.

A few minutes later Keating almost completed his hat-trick, but his low strike was to be saved by Walsh.

It felt like it was only a matter of time before Keating got his and City’s third goal of the night and he did that on 75 minutes.

After a through ball from Aaron Bolger set him free, Keating found the back of the net with a finish that went beyond the grasp of the Sligo shot-stopper.

Due to the international break, City are next in action on September 15 when they play host to Wexford in the FAI Cup quarter-final at Turners Cross.

The next league outing for the Leesiders is an away trip to face Shelbourne at Tolka Park on September 22.

In what has been a tough season, there might be light at the end of the tunnel for Cork City.

CORK CITY: Ollie Byrne: Conor Drinan, Josh Honohan, Cian Coleman, Kevin Čustović: Aaron Bolger, Andrii Kravchuk: Cian Bargary, Ben Worman, Jaze Kabia: Ruairí Keating.

Subs: Gordon Walker for Čustović (38), Cian Murphy for Kabia, Tunde Owolabi for Keating (both 83).  

SLIGO ROVERS: Conor Walsh: Frank Liivak, Garry Buckley, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Greg Bolger, Niall Morohan, Stefan Radosavljevic, Nando Pijnaker: Pedro Martelo, Fabrice Hartmann.

Subs: Robert Burton for Radosavljevic (39), Johann Brannefalk for Liivak (58), Karl O’Sullivan for Hartmann (79).

Referee: Oliver Moran.