Beating Youths!

Pictures courtesy of Tony Tobin and Mick Ring of Blink of an Eye Photography


So another 6 points from 6, albeit hard grafted, against two teams who will be in and around the bottom come the end of the season. That being said, the unbeaten run continues, and confidence is at a high heading into an important phase of the season leading upto the mid-season break.

First it was off to Wexford on the Friday before last, to start the second series of games in the 2011 season. After all the drama of last week, this trip promised to be very tame in comparison. This week, it was just me and the paps, Mr. Donie Forde unable to join us with the arrival of Queenie herself to Cork (and as a side note never have I felt such pride in our city and its people) The drive to Wexford was as quick as I ever remember it, we got out of Mahon handy enough despite the traffic restrictions around the city centre, and with the new Waterford bypass we flew past Hendo's (former) crowd, and were early enough to miss the traffic in New Ross.

After a heart-attack inducing 'Breakfast Bap' and chips with cheese, garlic and bacon it was off to the Wexford Youths complex. Last year we waited around 20 minutes in the rain to get tickets for City's final game of the season, and it seems that Wallace has gotten his house in order (Oh the irony) in the mean-time. The sun shone over Ferrycarrig Park, but offered little heat as a swirling wind ensured another cold evening in the sunny South-East. The crowd was sparse at best, and the travelling contingent made up around half of the total in the ground.

City hit the front foot early on, and carved out their first chance 10 minutes in, Greg through on goal but denied by last year's Youths player of the season Packie Holden in goals. He was there again to deny Davin O'Neill five minutes later, and O'Neill shot over the bar soon after as the Leesiders began to dominate. Cummins, Sullivan, Duggan, O'Halloran and O'Neill all had chances after the half hour mark but City just could not get the breakthrough. It was looking like one of those games just before halftime, when a corner bounced around the Youths box but not one of about five City players could find the finishing touch, as Wexford clung on for their dear lives.

Having battered our opponents and not been able to score, we started to worry at half-time. Surely with our luck it was the Youths that would take the lead. And, well, they did! Mark McNulty made a fantastic save from a Dean Broaders free-kick to continue his fantastic run in the last few matches, but from the rebound Michael Mullen teed up Craig Wall whose shot whistled into the City net. An unthinkable lead earned, and Youths on the way to their first win of the season.

That is for about 20 minutes, when a questionable City goal restored a well-deserved parity. Cummins took out Holden in the air from a cross (With intention to play the ball in my opinion) and the ball sat up for Vinny Sullivan, and the ex-Waterford striker powered his first competitive goal on the half-volley. The Rebel Army continued to threaten, pushing for a winner, with Gearóid Morrissey controlling play, and making mince meat of Broaders on the left hand side.

And there were no complaints when the winner came, Morrissey bursting through the middle and firing an inch-perfect shot underneath Holden and into the bottom left-hand corner. It was no more than City deserved, though coming 5 minutes from time Youths fans still felt agrieved, especially considering the circumstances surronding the first. But it was a good sign from a City side that probably would've lost the same game this time last year.

After that it was Mervue at home, thanks to the combined failings of the FAI and the MFA, kick-off was at a ridiculous 6:30 on a Thursday afternoon. On a Thursday due to the Wales v Northern Ireland, Carling 'Nations Cup' wooden spoon (!!!) decider, and at half six because the floodlights at Turners Cross hadn't been sorted out despite having been broken for the best part of a fortnight. Both the Derrynane and St. Annes end closed because of the lack of numbers. (City lost an estimated 800 off the gate, while the official attendance for the Wales/NI game was 529, you can't spell FAIlure without....)

Despite that we did our best to create some atmosphere, and City once again absolutely dominated right from the very start. Graham Cummins could've dug a hole and hid himself away after firing over from about 2 yards out, how he managed to do it nobody will know, not least himself! Cummins was the divisions top scorer last year though, and soon made amends, poking home a finish from inside the box to score his 8th league goal so far this season. Then it became the Eoin Martin slapstick show, first the Mervue 'keeper fell over trying to clear his lines, only a last ditch tackle denying O'Neill from an almost certain goal. Then he dropped a long ball right to the feet of Davin, but again he couldn't convert (Another player who was having a shocker funnily enough) Graham Cummins almost profited from Martin's blunders twice, and twice had the ball in the back of the net. Only to be ruled out for first an inexplicable handball, and then offside. 'Lets pretend we scored a goal!' belted out from the shed. Nothing dampening our spirits despite all that was going against us.

It needed a shocker to ensure City's left winger would get his name on the scoreboard. O'Neill completely scuffing his shot, but somehow the ball inexplicably bounced over Martin and into the back of the net. At this point Martin had the confidence of a cow in a slaughter house, and any effort near the netminder had a chance of going in. By half time City had the game wrapped up, Danny Murphy crossing for Morrissey who showed Cummins how to do it by tapping the ball home from 3 yards.

The second half was un-remarkable, besides Cummins completely mishitting the ball from 6 yards with an open goal abegging, and lest I forget the handbags between Johnny Glynn and Tommy Dunne which saw the former sent to the stands for added time.

Next Monday it's off to stab city (Limerick, pardon me!) in hope of another three points over Munster neighbours, or at least to keep the unbeaten run going, 14 now since the pre-season loss against Sligo in Musgrave. (We'll choose to forget about Carrick United!)

Adieu,
Kev

Fucking Lino!

Well it's been some fortnight!

It started last Friday week at home to Longford Town, where we faced a Town outfit that were third in the table, and featured Keith Gillespie among their ranks!

City got off to the worst possible start in the 6th minute, Austin Skelly silencing the relatively small home support early on. James McCarthy helpless underneath the looping shot in his first competitve start for the club.

Longford seemed happy to rely on the long ball, and relied on Keith Gillespie's set pieces as their attacking threat, while City grew from their slow start, and Graham Cummins headed over about a quarter of an hour in. But still Longford stayed tight at the back, and frustrated both the home players, and home support, who were expecting a lot better before the game. It seemed that a lot of the City players were in awe of the ex-Manchester United midfielder Gillespie, standing off a man who last played his club football with Glentoran.

The Leesiders finished the half strongly though, with Town 'keeper Paul Hunt at his absolute best to deny City their equalizer. First, Shane Duggan's vicious shot was excellently tipped around the post, before Davin O'Neill was denied twice in the space of the netminders heroics before the half.

The resumption of the second brought much of the same, with City on top of a Longford side clearly playing for a draw. Paul Hunt was amongst a number of players employing time wasting antics to try and kill any momentum the Rebel Army had. With around 20 minutes left, City worked a nice move down the right hand side, the ball ended up at the feet of Gearóid Morrissey. Jaque Morely had other ideas, he hacked down the Mahon native from behind, taking absolutely none of the ball right in front of the linesman's nose. But nothing giving from the referee's 'assistant', which was a regular theme in the last fortnight (But more of that later).

Morrissey was very lively, and had a shot saved five minutes from time. But evetually City got the equaliser they wholeheartedly deserved, and it came from an unlikely source! A fantastic out-swinging cross to the back post by Gavin Kavanagh, and it was 20 year-old Jamie Murphy who eventually stuck the ball away from close range. Cue mad celebrations from the City faithful, and the relief palpable in keeping our unbeaten record, as well as not losing ground on a current title rival.

That Sunday, we secured our promotion with a 7-2 win in Cobh, and will be playing our football in the Premier division next season!

Anywho, back to Cork City matters and the following Friday we headed off to Dublin for another top-of-the-table clash, this time against the old enemy, Shelbourne! For the first time this season, it was the FORAS Chariot (A 30 seater in this case) to see me up and back safely. Chariot isn't a very apt name though, a cramped and swealtering bus wasn't the nicest way to travel to a game, though a City quiz racked our brains and provided entertainment for a few hours. The pre-match pint couldn't have come quick enough, and after watching a bit of egg-chasing and generally chewing fat before we made for Tolka.

A big crowd ammassed in the City end, and a fantastic atmosphere greeted the lads as they took to the pitch. They started very strongly, and Cummins flashed a volley wide early on. Lorcan Fitzgerald had a great chance to opening the scoring against the run of play though, but couldn't connect 6 yards out from an open goal. The Rebel Army took the lead just beyond the half hour mark, a cross to the back post was headed back into the path of Graham Cummins, who applied the simplest of finishes, sparking an explosion of noise from the away end, first blood City.

Shels could've easily hit back straight after though, a through ball over the top was taken town by Philly Hughes, clearly with his arm, though the linesman on the near side refused to flag, and only an excellent stop from McNulty remained parity, before the half-time whistle rang.

Obviously what Tommy Dunne said at half-time did not have the desired effect, as City went from having an intent to win, to being petrified of losing their lead. And invarably, they did. After prolonged Shels pressure they got the equalizer they deserved. Karl Bermingham's shot was saved but not held by Nults, and the former Waterford striker was on hand to convert at the second attempt. That didn't silence the away crowd, though neither did it snap the away side out of their daze. Barry Clancy inches away from applying a finish to Hughes' cross. Meanwhile the lino on the near side was continuing his good start, his arm up and down like a German porn star, virtually foaming at the mouth everytime he had the chance to give an offside against the Corkies.

The Rebel Army clawed their way back into the game though, and Kalen Spillane headed just over, before Vincent Escudé-Candadu came on for Vinny Sullivan and had a long range effort well tipped over by Dean Delany in the Shels net. Then the Frenchman was set off by Greg O'Halloran after winning the ball in the centre of the park, but under pressure he couldn't apply the finishing touch, rolling the ball wide of the post. Then it was the linesmans turn to steal the show again, Shane Duggan chopped down from behind, again, right under the lino's nose, but nothing giving. Four points in two games stolen from us, I sure hope Karma repays us come the end of the season!

As regards the incident outside the ground, I won't comment until the Garda investigation has been completed, but needless to say the lack of Garda presence following the game as we walked over the broken glass under darkness was a little un-nerving on the way back to the bus. The bus trip was a sombre one, with all thoughts with the young lad, and the bus driver playing the radio at full blast and going bi-polar on the lights. A long and difficult day was completed in the knowledge that a decent point was picked up, and the hope that one of our own's injuries aren't too serious.

On a sidenote, congratulations to the Youths who won the FAI Youth Cup Final 4-1 against Killarney Celtic, and the home fans who gave the lads the support they deserved. An excellent game (Danny Morrissey's goal in particular a highlight) and a bright future ahead of these lads!

Next week it's off to Wexford, and congratulations for reading this!

Until next week,
Kev