City stay top after impressive victory over UCD
U19 SOCCER
Daire Walsh
UCD……………………………….. 1
CORK CITY FC……………………. 3
AARON Drinan, Connor Ellis and Chiedozie Ogbene were all on target at the AUL Complex yesterday afternoon, as Cork City consolidated their position at the summit of the U19 Southern Elite Division with an impressive victory over UCD.
Stephen Bermingham’s charges were hoping to maintain their 100% winning record in this season’s competition, but they had to contend with a strong breeze during the opening period of play in the Clonshaugh venue.
Nevertheless, with just 12 minutes gone on the clock, it was the visitors who gained the upperhand. After a ball over the top had bounced kindly into his path, City’s Drinan raced through on goal, and fired calmly past the advancing Conor Kearns with a clinical low strike.
This was an ideal opening to the proceedings for the Leesiders, and after Kearns produced a fine save from William Cronin on 24 minutes, Pierce Phillips’ fierce attempt from the resulting corner just cleared the crossbar.
UCD did grow in confidence as the half progressed. However, the Cork back-four kept their shape for much of the first-half, and when the half-time whistle sounded, they were still one goal to the good. The hosts did increase the tempo of their play when the action resumed.
Yet, City managed to weather this storm, and just 11 minutes into the half, they had doubled their lead. Ellis was taken down by Kearns inside the area after racing onto Cronin’s excellent through-ball, and the influential centre-forward’s subsequent spot-kick was coolly slotted into the bottom left-hand corner of the UCD net.
A fourth league success of 2016 was now within their sights, and thanks to strong work from the midfield pairing of George Gill and Phillips, Cork found themselves in a commanding position moving into the final-quarter.
Indeed, he tie was almost placed beyond doubt 12 minutes from time, when a Cronin header from a Manley set-piece was cleared off the line, and Phillips was denied by an excellent stop from Kearns three minutes later.
UCD did receive a lifeline in the 82nd minute, though, as substitute Robert Manly fired through the fingertips of Cork custodian David Coffey from a tight-angle. However, Ogbene’s neat finish deep into second-half stoppage-time secured Cork City’s triumph.
UCD: Conor Kearns; Darragh Corcoran (Andy Brennan 79), Josh Collins, Liam Scales, Darragh McConville (Adam White 89); Simon Power, Cian Ryan, Andy O’Reilly (Craig Hanlon 60), Sean Byrne (Robert McGee 60); Gareth Coughlan, Conor Crowley (Robert Manly 69).
CORK CITY FC: David Coffey; Kevin Taylor, Conor McCarthy, Eli Khadi Harrington, Garan Manley; William Cronin, George Gill, Pierce Phillips, Chiedozie Ogbene; Connor Ellis, Aaron Drinan (Alec Bryne 77).
Referee: David Berry (Wicklow).