Sending-off not an excuse to lose 4-0, says City U19 coach
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
FOLLOWING their 4-0 defeat to UCD in the U19 Southern Elite Division on Sunday afternoon, Cork City coach, Cormac Cotter, acknowledged that the 28th-minute dismissal of captain, Garan Manley, had a major bearing on the game.
City were already trailing, as a result of Yoyo Mahdy’s deadlock-breaking goal, but, after they were reduced to 10 men, they were left exposed.
“The sending-off is, obviously, a big influence on the game, especially in this heat. They’re a decent side, to be fair to them, but even at 1-0 down with 10 men, I thought we were still well in the game. For the most parts, I thought we probably had the better chances in the first-half,” said Cotter.
“We just couldn’t put it in the back of the net. We changed things up to go and chase the game, with 10 men, which is obviously going to leave us a bit exposed.
“Unfortunately, three basic mistakes cost us goals, really, which is a frustration. It seems to be a problem for us, at the moment, that we’re trying to eradicate.”
Cotter was taking charge of the team in the absence of manager Stephen Bermingham (who is currently on holidays), and while UCD took full advantage of their numerical supremacy in the second period, he says such a comprehensive loss is not acceptable, not even with 10 men.
“It wasn’t anything to do with them that we were down to 10 men. Obviously, they took advantage of it, and knocked the ball around well, at times, in fairness.
“There was times when just a small bit of naivety on our behalf gave up easy chances. You’d be very disappointed. Even with 10 players, to lose 4-0 wouldn’t be acceptable, really.”
City will be back in league action, in a derby encounter against Cobh Ramblers on Saturday, but, before then, they will return to Belfield tomorrow evening, for an Enda McGuill Cup fixture.
Cotter is hoping for a reversal of fortunes on this occasion, and he revealed that one or two of Cork’s U17 squad might feature.
“It’s Cobh, and we’re up here, again, Wednesday in the Cup. Obviously, we’ll just have to get their spirits up again, and we’ll go again on Wednesday. There’s one or two good lads playing with the 17s that will step-up with us now, as well.
“They’d a game yesterday [also against UCD], so we didn’t involve them. We have two of them to come back, and there’s one or two lads on holiday. Fingers crossed, we’ll have a reverse result on Wednesday,” Cotter said.