Cork City snatch late win as Charlie Lyons converts penalty rebound

Cork City 2 

Longford Town 1 

A nervy ending to the contest but a deserved win for Barry Robson’s Cork City, as Longford Town’s winless run stretched to four after Charlie Lyons was on hand to finish Seani Maguire’s saved penalty to the net in the 86th minute.

Their League of Ireland First Division clash had found some bite late on, Longford Town’s Stefan Ugbesia had scored to make it 1-1 with 11 minutes left to play, but four minutes on from his equaliser, he would be penalised by referee Ryan Maher for a handball.

After a delay to the spot kick Maguire eventually shot low, but Kian Moore got down to keep it out. He could not, however, react to the oncoming Lyons, who sealed victory.

“Let's not beat about the bush, we deserved to win the football match,” Robson said after the victory. “I think the first 15 minutes I thought we started the game really well, as we have been doing, and getting in some really good areas without executing properly.

“We need to punish teams a bit more.

“I think they had one shot in the first half and they had one shot in the second half.

“Now, that's because our structure behind the ball has been really good and [we’ve been] stopping teams from doing that,” he explained. “It's down to us finding ways of creating chances and scoring our chances. We have scored some goals but we probably should have scored a lot more goals than what we have.” 

In front of 2,446 at Turner’s Cross on Friday evening, City had started well, but De Town’s back five would prove tough to penetrate, and the hosts’ only likely goal outlet during that first half was eventual man of the match Fitzpatrick down the right flank.

He fired in a number of first-half crosses – two of those inside the first two minutes – but neither delivery found a City shirt.

Hans Mpongo and Fitzpatrick both had chances in the 10th minute, Darragh Crowley’s incisive long ball finding the Dutchman for the first effort which he curled just outside the far post, while Cillian Murphy teed up Fitzpatrick for the latter’s attempt.

Longford’s only pertinent chance of the half arrived in the 32nd minute, Pharrell Manuel playing Daragh Murtagh through, but his attempt was wide.

City’s control on possession was near total but their chance conversion faltered. They would race through again on the restart – Fitzpatrick the provider once again – as Maguire’s one-on-one chance was kept out by Moore.

Finally the opening came in the 64th minute, a Cillian Murphy cross intended for Hans Mpongo that saw City break the deadlock, Murphy’s delivery intercepted by Daragh Murtagh before falling kindly for Maguire, whose deflected strike found the far corner.

But, in the 79th minute, Longford slipped through for the leveller. Osaze Irhue sent Andy Paraschiv through and after getting by Rory Feely, he squared for Ugbesia, who fired from point-blank to the roof of the net.

Unfortunately for the visitors, though, City would get one last chance to snatch it.

“The pleasing factor for me is the mentality of the team,” Robson said. “They keep going and they keep going and they will not stop. That's a pleasing factor because we will fight, we will score more goals.

“I've been really pleased with the players and their appetite and the way they're working. The pitch isn't really flying quick at the moment as well, so that'll help us if we get a bit quicker. And we will improve. Turner's Cross is really tight as well, so it has to be really tight-knit stuff for us to get through with the team just sitting there all the time.

“But no, I'm pleased with the players and we have to keep going and we have to keep improving. That's the most important thing.” CORK CITY (3-4-1-2): Brann; Feely, Lyons, Kiernan; Fitzpatrick (Nevin 88), Bolger (Bridge 80), Crowley, Mpongo; Murphy; Maguire (c), Keating (Murray 56).

LONGFORD TOWN (5-2-1-2): K Moore; McKenna, Omorehiomwan, Errity, McCarthy, Irhue (L O’Brien 89); A O’Brien (c), S Moore (Doran 75); Manuel (Robinson 75); Murtagh (Ugbesia 75), Williams (Paraschiv 75).

Referee: R Maher (Offaly)