Cork City way off the pace in disappointing defeat to 10-man Kerry
Cian Bargary, Kerry tries to tackle Conor Drinan, Cork City during their League of Ireland First Division clash on Monday. Picture: Domnick Walsh.
A second consecutive 1-0 defeat for Cork City. And this is one they can have no complaints about. Kerry were in control of this First Division clash on Monday right up until Cian Bargary’s sending off in the 74th minute.
City fought desperately in the closing stages to try and find an equaliser, but the hosts held out despite being down a man at Mounthawk Park.
Conor Drinan had a shot from outside the box saved in the 83rd minute, Maguire had a headed effort fall easily to Matthew Connor two minutes later.
Their best chance came right on the 90th minute, Seani Maguire’s curling effort cannoning off the post, while Josh Fitzpatrick – City’s most lively player in that second half – had a chance go astray in the 93rd minute.
And just like that, Cork City go from runaway league leaders to second in the table, albeit with a game in hand.
But where last Friday’s home defeat to Cobh could be put down to misfortune and a failure to convert chances, this one was completely and utterly deserved. In fact, Robson’s side were fortunate to only concede the one goal on Monday evening.
It was a very disappointing first-half performance from the league leaders. Cork City could not find any sort of rhythm and looked very shaky at the back.
And so, Kerry found their way through after 16 minutes, Sean O’Connell’s cross found Jonas Häkkinen and while he fluffed the initial chance, Niall Brookwell recovered possession, took a touch and drove it into the bottom corner.
Even after the early goal, terms were still very much dictated by the hosts. Bar a few half chances from Seani Maguire and a Ruairi Keating effort that went wide, Kerry were in control.
Former City men Cian Bargary and Cian Murphy were very dangerous in the first half, and Bargary set up Murphy but Niall O’Keeffe intervened before he could get his shot away in the 31st minute.
The corner was launched in by Murphy and Bargary got a shot away from just outside the box, which Conor Brann was fortunate to see sail over as he was caught far from his line.
As the half drew to a close Kerry had two brilliant chances. Ryan Kelliher played a brilliant pass out to Cian Brosnan on the left and he struck it from outside the box but it dragged just wide in the 41st minute. Just before the half-time break Kelliher came very close to doubling the Kerry lead, leaving the Leesiders very fortunate to only be one behind at the break.
Barry Robson’s response to the dreadful first half was to pull Hans Mpongo and bring on Josh Fitzpatrick, who was certainly City’s best player in the second half. He set up Conor Drinan for an opportunity on the hour mark that he failed to convert.
Fitzpatrick had a 63rd minute effort blocked out for a corner, then hit the crossbar nine minutes later as he fought desperately to get City into the game.
But in the interim Kerry had continued to press for a second goal. Cian Murphy had a stellar strike rattle the post in the 67th minute and come back out, and Bargary wasn’t able to convert the follow up.
It was a let-off for City, and so too was Murphy’s next chance after Ryan Kelliher set him up with a low cross in the 70th minute, but Murphy squandered it.
After having played the entire game second best, Cork City received a gift with 16 minutes left to play when Bargary was shown a second yellow card for time-wasting and Kerry were reduced to 10 men.
Immediately City upped the tempo, but they would not be able to find the desperately needed equaliser. UCD await at the Cross this Friday, with the teams level on points.
Connor; Lee, Cantwell, Häkkinen, O’Connell; Aladesanusi, Brookwell; Bargary, Murphy, Brosnan (Perez 66); Kelliher.
Brann; Nevin (Bridge 60), Kelleher, Lyons, Drinan; Crowley, O’Keeffe (Kiernan 87); Murphy, Maguire, Keating (Murray 60), Mpongo (Fitzpatrick HT).
M Houlihan (Dublin)
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