Cork City hang on for slender away win over Treaty United

Treaty United 0 Cork City 1 

The gap at the top stretches to 12, after Cork City picked up their fourth straight win in the First Division on Monday evening.

It was far from their best performance, but the Leesiders did enough at Markets Field to bring down Treaty United, with Ruairí Keating’s penalty securing a 1-0 win.

Despite City’s half-time lead and tendency to show up well in the second half of games, this was one where they were left battling on the edge for large parts of the second 45 minutes and fortunate not to concede an equaliser.

Treaty started well in the second half, Ben Feeney with a blocked effort that Mark Byrne reacted to, and he fired an overhead kick which Brann reacted superbly to deny in the 46th minute.

Brann would be called into action again in the 64th minute, this time racing out to the edge of the box to pull off a brilliant slide tackle on Cian Curtis, after Feeney had played him through.

Treaty continued to probe but struggled to significantly test Brann. Eric Yoro raced down the flank and put a good ball in across the box which Charlie Lyons – who was rock solid all evening – got to first to clear the danger.

The hosts’ pressure waned, and Hans Mpongo capitalised as he slipped through for a chance that was well stopped in the 82nd minute. Though City recycled and produced another opportunity, the close-range header from Matthew Murray was off target.

But, in the dying moments United found life again, substitute Jason Oyenuga forcing his way through down the left, before then releasing his shot too early in the 86th minute. Treaty won the following goal kick, Brian Cunningham controlling it for Ronan Manning, who launched it forward to Curtis.

Curtis gathered it well and with Brann off his line he shot – a sweeping trivela shot over the top – and it had Brann beaten, only for it to sneak over the crossbar and spare City.

The Rebel Army remained on the back foot as time passed, but the hosts didn’t have the quality to find the equaliser.

It was another first half low in tempo for Cork City, though Barry Robson’s charges at least had something to show for it at the break here, as they led Treaty 1-0.

They certainly deserved to be ahead, though clear-cut chances were limited for both sides, they were in complete control.

It was a Ruairí Keating spot kick that put City ahead, after Darren Nwankwo pulled Hans Mpongo back in the box after 26 minutes, and Keating dispatched to the keeper’s right, netting a badly needed goal having gone nine games without one.

Treaty’s best opportunity of the half arrived a minute after the goal, Robbie Lynch playing one through for Ben Feeney, who tried to dink it over Brann, but the City keeper reacted in time to touch it over.

Goalkeeper Jack Brady and the Treaty defenders launched countless long balls over the top, but they struggled to find any recipients. City’s busiest outlets in that first half were Cillian Murphy and Mpongo, the youngster in particular dangerous early as he posted a few shots but each of his efforts were too tame to pose any trouble.

Keating’s penalty put City in front and he would get another in the second half that was ruled offside, and so the one goal would prove to be enough. Only just.

TREATY UNITED (4-2-3-1): Brady; Yoro (Manning 74), Lynch, Nwankwo, Foley; Murphy, Healy; Feeney (Cunningham 84), Lynch, Byrne (Oyenuga 74); Curtis.

CORK CITY (4-3-3): Brann; Nevin, Kelleher, Lyons, Drinan; Crowley, Bolger (Bridge 71), O’Keeffe; Murphy (O'Connor 88), Keating (Murray 78), Mpongo.

Referee: J Sconnie Walsh (Waterford)