Cork City beat Longford thanks to goals from Jack Doherty and Evan McLaughlin

Longford Town 0 Cork City 2 

CORK City went to the top of the First Division after their hard-fought win against Longford Town in Bishopsgate on Saturday night. 

City weren’t at their best during the first 45 minutes but were a far better side in the second-half and goals from Evan McLaughlin and Jack Doherty mean City sit top of the table level on points with Treaty United.

City made one change from the team that narrowly overcame UCD, with Greg Bolger, who was making his first start since returning to the club, replacing the suspended Barry Coffey, who was sent off late in the game against the Students.

It was a slow start from City with Longford well on top in the opening stages. The hosts were aggressive in their press, which unsettled the City players. The Rebel Army were forced to go direct with their passing such was the pressure from Longford.

Longford were quick to try to exploit the space left by the attack-minded Harry Nevin with Dean George frequently finding himself in possession. It was the Longford winger who had the game’s first real chance when his deflected strike came back off the post.

Bolger was trying to calm those around him and he had City’s opening chance of the game. City produced a string of passes for the first time in the match before the ball eventually found Bolger, but his effort went over the crossbar.

City came within inches of taking the lead through Sean Murray. The former Dundalk player timed his run perfectly to get on the end of Nathan Woods' pass, however, Murray pulled his shot wide of the target.

The visitors did settle midway through the half and that was probably down to the alteration in players’ positions, with Tim Clancy instructing Jack Doherty to go down the middle, with Wood moving to the left and Cathal O’Sullivan to the right-hand side.

Prior to the switch, Wood was having little joy feeding off the poor service and O’Sullivan didn’t seem comfortable playing on the left. The change did create more issues for the Longford defence because Doherty was clever in his movement and Wood was better off the wing.

Brad Wade was called into action to prevent Conor Crowley’s free-kick from hitting the back of the net. The Longford player struck the ball powerfully, but luckily for Wade, it was straight at him and the City keeper was able to palm the ball over the bar.

The first-half performance from City was very similar to that of their match against Finn Harps.

City created very little. They were second to most of the breaking balls and kept making the wrong decisions in possession. However, credit must go to Longford because they put City under a lot of pressure.

City began the second half much brighter. Bolger’s inswinging corner caused problems in the Longford penalty area before John O’Donovan tried his luck from distance but his effort was gathered at the second attempt from Jack McCarthy, who had initially spilled O’Donovan’s strike.

McCarthy, who was making his league debut, looked nervous, often flapping at crosses and was fortunate that nothing came from when he kicked the ball off Doherty. However, he did make a good save to prevent Evan McLaughlin’s header.

McLaughlin was not to be denied moments later, when the midfielder raced forward to get on the end of Wood’s pass, which did take a deflection on its way to find McLaughlin, and the 21- year-old made no mistake placing the ball low into the net.

Murray should have done better with an opportunity but completely miscued his kick and failed to connect with the ball. It was a wasted chance for City, who would have expected someone with the quality of Murray to have done better.

McCarthy did well twice in the Longford goal, first to deny O’Sullivan, and then to prevent Doherty from adding to his impressive three-goal tally this season.

It wasn’t long before the former Wexford player was celebrating. O’Sullivan was quick to punish Kyle O’Connor’s heavy touch to leave the City player charging down on the Longford goal with Doherty. O’Sullivan selflessly squared to his teammate, who was left to tap into the net.

LONGFORD: McCarthy; Elworthy, Egan, Hand, O’Connor; Slater (Chamber 68), Crowley (Serdeniuk 68), Hery, George (Clarke 46), Wixted (Boudiaf 68); Lyons.

CITY: Wade; Nevin, Coleman, Lyons, O’Donovan; Murray, Bolger (Healy 80), McLaughlin; Doherty (Umeh 87), Wood, O’Sullivan (Murray 89).

Referee: J Moore.