Ruairí Keating strikes twice as Cork City extend win streak to eight with defeat of Bray
STRONG START: Ruairi Keating, Cork City, celebrates his early goal against Bray Wanderers, with Seani Maguire. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Cork City have conceded 11 league goals this season, across 21 games. For the last seven games, they have won each one without the concession of a goal. Over 658 minutes of football.
Their lead remains 15 points after UCD picked up a 2-0 win over Cobh. But for manager Barry Robson, seeing his side get the win over Bray Wanderers on Friday evening despite a below par performance was great.
“The first 10 or 15 minutes, we started the game and I thought, that's as good as I've seen it,” he began. “I thought we were moving it and I thought, yes, here we go. Like last week, I was just thinking we were going to be right at it.
“Then we got a goal and then, for whatever reason, we kind of came off it a wee bit after that. And then we had to take Seani off because he got a knock, again.
“I just thought we weren't at our best at all second half.
“And I think the bit that we don't normally do is we just, we kept hitting it long for some reason tonight. We looked a wee bit disjointed second half, I thought, and we just didn't look ourselves. But the most pleasing factor for me is, see, when you do that, make sure you win the game.
“I've got the standard of wanting to be perfect and brilliant every week, and I get that,” he admitted. “But we didn't play very well and they know that. It was 2-0 and a clean sheet again. I think it's a club record. So I'm really pleased for the boys.
A couple of goals from Ruairí Keating – one in each half in front of 1,935 – gave the Leesiders the win over Bray at Turner’s Cross.
They opened the scoring after five minutes, Keating punishing Cian Doyle’s stray back pass with a simple finish beyond Jimmy Corcoran, as he curled it in one-on-one at the Bray keeper’s near post.
That early lead put City up and it was a lively opening spell, with both teams threatening. In the 10th minute, Conor Brann had to race off his line to deny Ifunanyachi Achara, before Fiacre Kelleher needed to be called into action immediately after when Alain Kizenga tried to hit the follow up, but he made a good block.
Conor Drinan had a chance saved that same minute and Seani Maguire would be denied from a header seven minutes later, but the pace dropped from there, and City couldn’t establish control.
On the restart the hosts improved, Keating and Hans Mpongo combining well as the former played an overhead through ball to the Dutchman, but Mpongo couldn’t connect properly with the volleyed effort.
Two minutes later, Keating was tripped up by Declan Osagie, and Declan Toland immediately pointed to the penalty spot. The City striker made no mistake in doubling his tally, slotting low to the bottom corner to put City 2-0 up.
The game already looked out of sight for the Seagulls, though they threatened again when Achara squared one across the box looking to find Tyreik Sammy, and while the City defence made a mess of the danger, they got away without conceding.
Bray would have chances, but they never looked like getting back into the game.
Brann; O’Keeffe (Manjor-Georgewill 88), Kelleher, O’Connor, Drinan; Bolger (Bridge 88), Crowley; Mpongo, Maguire (Murray HT), Murphy; Keating.
Corcoran; Kizenga, Osagie, Duggan, O’Shea; Sesay (Knight 77), Doyle; Achara, McCormack (Ferizaj 21 inj), Sammy (Kelly 65); Ring (Cheese 77).
D Toland (Westmeath)
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