Conor Drinan hits a double as Cork City too good for Longford Town at Turner’s Cross

Cork City 2 Longford Town 0 

A Conor Drinan brace helped Cork City get back to winning ways after they defeated Longford Town at Turner’s Cross on Friday night. 

City had come into the match winless in their last two games but that run never looked in danger of continuing once Drinan put the league leaders ahead in the latter stages of the first half.

In front of 1,820 spectators, Longford started the game well and played with a lot of confidence but as the game aged, City got their foothold on it and it was a comfortable victory in the end.

City made three changes to the side that played out a scoreless draw with UCD on Monday. Greg Bolger and Evan McLaughlin returned to the Rebel Army’s midfield, while youngster Harvey Skieters was given the responsibility of leading the line, in his first start for the club.

City were quick out of the traps with Jack Doherty forcing Jack Brady into action within the first minute, with the Longford keeper doing well to get down low to his left-hand side to prevent the ball from hitting the net.

Skieters was too enthusiastic in the opening few minutes in his approach. Although he was chasing every ball and pressing defenders with real intent, at times he would have been better to conserve his energy.

However the 19-year old did well to set-up Conor Drinan, who couldn’t make a proper connection with the ball to direct it into the net. However, it was a wonderful save by Brady to prevent the former Cobh Ramblers’ player from scoring.

Charlie Lyons will be disappointed not to have at least hit the target after he got on the end of an in-swinging Greg Bolger corner, with the player heading over from just outside the six-yard area.

Considering they were bottom of the league coming into the game with only two wins, Longford were playing some attractive football. They weren’t afraid to take risks by playing deep in their own half and rarely did they go back-to-front, opting to pass through the thirds.

Darragh Crowley had a moment to forget when the defender missed an open goal from just outside the six-yard area after Brady only parried Lyons’ headed effort into the path of the City player.

Crowley’s blushes were somewhat spared moments later when Drinan showed his athleticism when he rose high inside the penalty area to head home Cian Bargary’s cross in the 37th minute.

Drinan got his second of the evening two minutes later when Skieters did well to dispossess Jordan Tallon before Drinan showed good composure to curl the ball beyond Brady.

Baragy had the first chance of the second-half but the City attacker blazed over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

Brady twice denied City going further ahead when he prevented Conor Crowley from putting into his own net before pushing away Sean Murray’s well struck volley.

Sub Barry Coffey was next to try his luck but once again Brady was equal to the effort.

CORK CITY: Wade; Crowley, Coleman, Lyons, McLaughlin; Bolger (Coffey 73), Murray, Doherty; Bargary (Fitzpatrick 85), Skieters (Murphy 64), Drinan (Dijksteel 64).

LONGFORD TOWN: Brady, Boudiaf, O’Shea, Tallon, O’Connor; Crowley, Campbell (Tropanets 73), Henry (James 73), Chambers, Priosti (Bonner 73); Adeyemo.

Referee: D Carolan.