Conor Brann's evolution and Cillian Murphy's arrival the stories in Cork City's season so far
Cork City goalkeeper Conor Brann during the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division match between Cork City and UCD at Turner's Cross in Cork. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Cork City are 21 First Division games into Barry Robson’s tenure and sit 15 points clear at the top of the table, on track to win the title and return to the Premier Division, where they’ll hope to put an end to the yo-yoing of the past half a decade.
And given that things have gone pretty much according to script with minimal fuss, Cork City fans will be pleased, but also somewhat indifferent. Sure, good performances and wins are great, but the effect only lasts so long when you feel the team should be playing a grade above.
And while that has certainly been the case for much of this season, there has definitely been some joy found in the little things.
Cillian Murphy’s arrival to the show has been a joy to watch. Like Cathal O’Sullivan and Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh before, he looks like the next big academy product and he’s been tearing it up in the First Division.
But there’s been another noticeable change. It hasn’t been spoken about as much – though it’s certainly been quite visible – but Conor Brann has been absolutely exceptional.
Not only do City go into tonight’s game looking for an eighth consecutive clean sheet, but it’s been more than just the shot stopping with Brann that’s improved. Shot-stopping was where his strength lay initially, and now he’s developed into such a well-rounded goalkeeper.
“The most important thing for Conor is to play here and get that 50 to 100 games in as a goalkeeper, he needs that,” Robson said after the Bray win. “And I think with every game he's playing, he's getting better. But there's still room for improvement.
“When I first came in here, the first day I walked in the door and watched him train, I said to Nults [Mark McNulty] the goalkeeping coach, I said, ‘he needs to be more agile. He needs to get his distances better. His kicking needs to be better.’ “And every single part of that, he's improved. He’s been great.” He’s transformed into a really quick sweeper keeper. Countless times he’s rushed out off of his line to get a save – or a tackle – in, bailing City out in the process. And his footwork has improved instrumentally, too.
He’s perhaps been the most visible improvement, but Conor Drinan, Darragh Crowley, Greg Bolger and new signing Hans Mpongo have all been expectational in the first half of the season.
Of City’s attacking quadrant, Mpongo boasts the best numbers so far with 18 goal contributions (12 goals and six assists), while Ruairí Keating has 12, Seani Maguire 11 and Cillian Murphy eight.
Cillian Murphy in particular has been so creative, he’s tied for Mpongo with assists (six), and has 23 key passes this year.
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Amazingly though he’s not got the highest, veteran Bolger has 32 so far, and he has been the heartbeat of the team from midfield.
Where Murphy takes the crown, is in fouls drawn. He’s been taken down by the opposing side 34 times in 21 games, far more than any other City player. It’s proof of the danger he’s causing and the positions that he has been getting in. For reference, Crowley sits as the second most fouled, having drawn 25 fouls.
At the other end, Bolger has committed the most fouls with 33, and has received seven yellow cards, joint-highest alongside Charlie Lyons and Fiacre Kelleher.
Somewhat bizarrely, City are yet to have been shown a single red card yet this season. Tonight’s opponents, their Cork rivals, are the only other First Division side not to have a man sent off yet.
Hans Mpongo (12),
Ruairí Keating (10),
Seani Maguire (8),
Conor Drinan (4),
Cillian Murphy, AJ Bridge (2 each),
Charlie Lyons, Darragh Crowley, Fiacre Kelleher (1 each).
Hans Mpongo, Cillian Murphy (6 each),
Seani Maguire (3),
Greg Bolger, Ruairí Keating, Josh Fitzpatrick, Matthew Murray (2 each),
Conor Drinan, Harry Nevin, AJ Bridge, Niall O’Keeffe (1 each).
Conor Brann (1,974), Darragh Crowley (1,880), Hans Mpongo (1,764), Charlie Lyons (1,669), Fiacre Kelleher (1,596), Cillian Murphy (1,595), Greg Bolger (1,529), Conor Drinan (1,522), Seani Maguire (1,459), Ruairi Keating (1,402), Joshua Fitzpatrick (1,227), Rory Feely (1,165), Harry Nevin (780), Niall O'Keeffe (607), Matthew Murray (535), AJ Bridge (513), Donal O'Connor (383), Matthew Kiernan (167), Tom McGrath (38), Denzell Obenge (29), Luke Downey (25), Brody Lee (19), Jorge Silva Fonseca (18), Ike Manjor-Georgewill (6).
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