Seani Maguire-led Cork City roar back in second half to down Colin Healy's Kerry
Sean Maguire of Cork City celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division match between Cork City and Kerry at Turner's Cross in Cork. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
As hairy as they come for a 3-1 win, but Cork City’s strong second-half ensured they overpowered Kerry FC in the First Division on Friday.
They had been second-best across the first three-quarters of an hour, but manager Barry Robson opted to shift to a back four in the second half and bring on the experienced Seani Maguire, and Cork City reaped the reward.
It took until the 77th minute for the hosts to get a goal back, as a pin-point pass from Maguire allowing Hans Mpongo to send Conor Drinan through with one touch, and Matthew Connor couldn’t keep his point-blank effort out.
Then, in the 89th minute, Drinan floated a beautiful cross in, and while Maguire’s initial effort was saved, he made no mistake with the rebound, sending City in front.
To compound Kerry’s despair, Hans Mpongo set up Crowley – the latter excellent throughout – and he slotted home to make it 3-1 in added time.
“I thought it was outstanding,” said Robson on Seani Maguire’s goal. “And we've got to be careful with Seani as well. It's obviously been an injury that we've had to be careful with. So now he gets another week to 10 days’ break.
“So hopefully we can get some training time in him and get him up and running. But that's why we put him on, I didn't want to start him today. I just didn't want to take a chance.
“You'll notice that over the last couple of games, I didn't want to take a chance. Because we've had a lot of games, we've not managed to get any training time in him.
“But I was really pleased with Seani when he came on.” The early stages had been commanded by the visitors, Colin Healy’s side playing on the front foot and tormenting City’s back three.
They almost opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, as an excellent ball in from Cian Bargary found Cian Murphy and he guided it to the far post with his header, but Brann scrambled across his line and kept it out. But he wouldn’t keep them out for much longer.
The goal itself was a remarkable finish from former Cork City winger Bargary, winning out against Lyons in the air after Connor hoofed it forward. Bargary controlled it with his chest and punted it on the half volley from just outside the box, lobbing Brann as he found the far corner with 32 minutes elapsed.
Something had to give for the hosts and on the restart Robson made the change to a back four, and with newfound stability at the back, they took the upper hand.
It looked as though they had found the leveller after 53 minutes, Crowley seeing a bouncing volleyed effort flicked on by Mpongo to the net, but the Dutchman was ruled offside.
Two minutes later Mpongo appeared poised to hit the net again – after a driving ball into the box from Harry Nevin – but somehow, the City forward skied it from close range.
Kerry’s opportunities began to dry up though, as the hosts grew in confidence.
Again, Mpongo had a golden opportunity to net the equaliser after a clever pass from Keating slipped him through, but his one-on-one effort struck the woodwork and went wide with 22 minutes remaining.
Crowley would be next to test the Kerry keeper, his quality low header directed for the bottom corner but Connor got down quickly and kept it out.
However, the hosts wouldn’t be held at bay for much longer, and a flurry of late goals sealed it.
Brann; Lyons (Maguire 56), Kelleher, Feely; Fitzpatrick (Nevin HT), Bolger (O’Keeffe 63), Crowley, Drinan; Murphy; Mpongo, Keating.
Connor; Aladesanusi, Brookwell, Hakkinen, O’Connell; Lee, Borden; Bargary (Palmer 81), McGrath (Luchinger 71), Okwute (Brosnan 66); Murphy.
G Geraghty
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