Cork City hit Wexford for six as fans celebrate trophy presentation at Turner's Cross

Cork City 6 Wexford 0 

Cork City rounded off their successful league campaign with a comfortable victory over Wexford at Turner's Cross on Friday night, with the champions receiving the First Division trophy after the game. 

The 4,268 supporters in the ground were in a celebratory mood and they were not disappointed as City put on a show in their final game before the club’s return to the Premier Division. The victory also meant that City finished the season undefeated at the Cross with the Rebel Army suffering only two away defeats in their 36 league games.

It’s the second time in three years seasons that the First Division trophy has been secure but everyone involved in the club will be hoping it’s the last, as the club will surely see this year as a stepping stone in the challenge of getting City back to the pinnacle of Irish football.

Tim Clancy made five chances from the Athlone Town game with the City boss naming his strongest 11.

Pre-match the supporters were in high spirits, with the crowd very vocal as the players emerged from the tunnel. There was a real party atmosphere inside Turner's Cross which increased when Ruairi Keating had the home side ahead inside three minutes when he latched onto a lofted pass from Greg Bolger to steer the ball into the net. Keating’s goal was the first time in five matches that City had taken the lead in a game.

Keating came close to doubling his tally when a clever pass from Cathal O’Sullivan found the City striker inside the penalty area but this time Keating was unable to hit the target.

The club will be relying heavily on the partnership of Keating and Seani Maguire if they are to be successful next season and the duo linked up well midway through the half with the Maguire finding Keating, who did well to turn quickly and get his shot away, but unfortunately the ball trickled past the post.

One of the stars of the campaign has been Cathal O’Sullivan and he showed why he is so highly rated when he quickly controlled a loose ball on the edge of the area before drilling the ball beyond Conor Walsh in the Wexford goal.

The party was in full swing two minutes later when Maguire got his name on the scoresheet as the striker produced a determined run to shrug off two Wexford players before blasting the ball beyond Walsh.

Keating should have had his second when he was unselfishly teed-up by Maguire but after showing good composure to go around Walsh, Keating was denied by an excellent block on the line by a Wexford defender.

O’Sullivan scored the pick of the goals when he collected the ball outside the penalty area before cutting in field and curling the ball into the far bottom corner of the net. It was a wonderful goal by O’Sullivan and one the fans will be hoping isn’t the last they see of the 17-year-old in a City jersey, with the player having many admirers in the game.

Cian Bargary was next to get on the scoresheet as his headed in City’s fifth. Bargary’s celebrations were quite emotional which could have been a suggestion that it was his last game in a City jersey.

Malik Dijksteel increased the misery on Wexford when he tapped in from close range to continue the celebrations at Turners Cross.

City’s cleansheet remained in tack late on when Brad Wade saved a Cian Curtis penalty.

CORK CITY: Wade; Crowley, Coleman, Lyons, McLaughlin (Cofffey 77); O’Sullivan (Bargary 64), Bolger (Kiernan 57), Murray, Dijksteel (Fitzpatrick 77); Maguire, Keating (Murphy 64).

WEXFORD: Walsh; Webb (Hanratty 46), Boyle, O’Malley (Lynch 46), Temple; McHale, Isamala, Corbally, Lovic (Curtis 60), Oluwa (Crowley 70); Dobbs (Harnett 60).

Referee: A O’Dowd.