Cork City fall to defeat away to Longford Town
Hans Mpongo, Cork City, breaks from Daniel McKenna and Osaze Irhue, Longford Town. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
A dull affair for much of the 90 minutes and a disappointing defeat all the same for Cork City, their trip to Bishopsgate came up short as they fell to defeat against Longford Town on Saturday evening.
The Leesiders – with five changes from their win over UCD – failed to stir in the first half and fell behind just before the break when Daragh Murtagh fired Longford ahead.
They improved in the second half but still struggled to create anything to really threaten Kian Moore, but Ruairí Keating came very close when he hit the crossbar after Seani Maguire’s initial effort was saved in the 74th minute.
Ten minutes later though, the hosts would find the way through for a second goal. It was a well-take goal from Aaron Doran, who played a clever one two with Murtagh before firing into the far corner beyond Odumosu to take the hosts’ lead to 2-0.
City would fight on looking for a way back. Maguire flashed wide on 90 minutes, and from there it looked to be all over, but Greg Bolger popped up with an outrageous consolation goal in the 92nd minute, volleying it first time from outside the box and straight to the net.
It was an exceptional goal, but it proved nothing more than a consolation as Longford took the three points to improve their playoff hopes.
The opening spell was hindered by the heavy rain at Bishopsgate, neither side able to play any sort of fluid football. It suited Longford though they were the better team in the first half regardless, with Andy Paraschiv lively.
He had the game’s first real chance too after a good threaded pass from Jake Hough, Paraschiv did well to open up an angle but Rory Feely got in the way to block his effort after 11 minutes.
The much-changed City side struggled to create and were caught offside six times in the first half, while Aaron Doran would have opened up the scoring after 36 minutes, had Darragh Crowley not made a crucial intervention on the line.
Eventually though, Longford found the breakthrough right before the break. De Town had tried to work the ball into the area but Fiacre Kelleher blocked it and Joe Aidoo tried to clear, but he knocked it straight to Murtagh, whose curling effort deflected in beyond David Odumosu in the first minute of first-half added time.
The hosts deservedly led – City had been way off the pace – but Longford themselves were struggling to create, and conditions ensured it was dire to watch in that opening period. The quality at least improved in the second.
The changes meant that the match gave Robson a look at players for next season, with starts given to Luke Downey, Joe Aidoo and Matthew Murray, while Odumosu took over from Conor Brann between the posts.
In the latter period, City were sharper and looked more threatening, Seani Maguire forcing a save from Kian Moore after good work from Conor Drinan in the 54th minute.
Robson made several changes near the hour mark to try and bolster City’s attacking threat, and chances started to flow. They came agonisingly close to getting a leveller in the 74th minute with the best chance they’d created all game, as Greg Bolger fired in a cross which Maguire rose to meet with a header, but Moore reacted superbly to make the stop. However, he parried it straight to Keating, who rattled the crossbar with his point-blank effort.
A let off by every metric for Longford, and Doran’s goal in the 84th minute sealed it, despite Bolger’s brilliant consolation.
Moore; Brunton, McCarthy, Hough; Adenekan, Brady (Bailey 60), Moore, Paraschiv; Murtagh, Williams (Ugbesia 78), Doran.
Odumosu; Feely, Kelleher, Downey (Obenge 67); N’Sa (Drinan HT), Crowley (Bolger 57), Aidoo (O’Keeffe 57), Mpongo; Murray (Fitzpatrick 57); Maguire, Keating.
A Franklin
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