Cork City blow Wexford away to make it two from two

Wexford FC 1 Cork City 4 

Two from two for Cork City, and this one came with a welcome touch of ruthlessness. New faces Cillian Murphy and Hans Mpongo shone. Old heads Seani Maguire and Ruairí Keating punished.

An early-season marker laid down, City’s ruthless early burst got them on the road towards a pleasing away victory for new manager Barry Robson on Friday evening.

“I thought all the players were really good tonight,” Robson began. “I thought the second half last week we played quite well as well. I think [Wexford]'s a difficult place to come, you can see how difficult the pitch is.

“But I think you could see the players, how aggressive we were at times, and it was a really good performance.” 

It was 16-year-old Cillian Murphy who caught the eye. Starting for the first time after coming off the bench to contribute to last week's winner against Treaty United – the teenager needed just eight minutes to make his mark here – winning the penalty that Maguire dispatched to put City ahead.

City's second was the sweetest. Mpongo cut in from the left and curled one beautifully into the top corner from just inside the box, doubling the lead after a mere 16 minutes. New signing. Statement goal.

“The first 25 minutes, we blew them out of the water, and then all of a sudden the pitch starts to churn up, made it a bit difficult for us,” Robson explained. “But we kept in it, and we scored a few goals, and it was a good performance.

“I never saw them having many chances tonight, but I think the pressing we did, we're still not right at it yet, I still think we're a bit short on it,” he admitted. “And that takes weeks and months to improve and get better and better.

“But you can see that we want to be better on the counter-press. I thought they thoroughly deserved it, I thought the boys did really well, and credit to them.” In the second half City were rampant again from the start, Murphy assisting Maguire’s second goal with a stunning free kick delivery, one that needed only the slightest and most elegant of touches from Maguire’s head to creep in at the far post with 52 minutes played.

That goal put City 3-0 up. They would add to their lead once more to compound Wexford’s misery, Maguire pouncing on a defensive mix-up to set Keating up for a simple finish on 65 minutes.

The hosts would profit from a similar error at the back five minutes later, as substitute Calum Flynn slipped through to grab a consolation, but City’s cushion was such that it would never amount to anything other than that.

Keating would come close again late on for the visitors, Jake Doyle would test twice for Wexford, but Robson’s side were comfortable. Far too comfortable.

Wexford briefly stirred after City’s early blitz. The returning Rowe was released on 22 minutes, though his effort lacked any sort of conviction.

It was the cue for the hosts to edge their way into the contest, even if City’s press continued to suffocate much of their build-up.

Kaylem Harnett fizzed in a dangerous delivery that Charlie Lyons dealt with, before another Harnett effort was blocked moments later by Rory Feely after the lively Jamie Wynne had opened the door.

Wexford’s best chance arrived on the stroke of half-time, Rowe clipping narrowly wide from distance, just enough to give City a reminder as they headed in at the break.

But City made sure to kill off any fears on the resumption, when Maguire put them three up and out of sight.

WEXFORD FC: Martin; Hand, Larkin (Butler 84), Osam, Murphy; Abada, Harnett (Shuntaro Doyle 55); Ritchie, Rowe (Flynn 67), Wynne (Hodgins 55); Doyle.

CORK CITY: Brann; Feely, Kelleher (c), Lyons; Fitzpatrick (Lee 78), Crowley, Bolger (Bridge 67), Mpongo, Maguire (Drinan 75), Murphy; Keating.

Referee: L Keating (Cork)