Cork City keep up the pressure in second with Longford win

Longford Town 0 Cork City 3

Longford Town had teenage defender Tristan Noack-Hofman sent off in the first half before Mark O’Sullivan came off the bench at the interval to make the difference for Cork City at City Calling Stadium.

A seventh straight league win consolidates Cork’s second place in the table ahead of next Friday’s visit of leaders and champions Dundalk to Turner’s Cross.

Though Cork dominated possession, Longford held their own in a first half most notable for the sending off of 17-year-old Noack-Hofman on 34 minutes for a foul on Steven Beattie, his second yellow card offence.

Cork boss John Caulfield brought in O'Sullivan at half-time and he soon made an impact, flicking on keeper Mark McNulty's clearance for Sean Maguire to put the visitors ahead on 57 minutes with a clever lobbed finish.

Left-back Kevin O’Connor’s free kick found the run of O’Sullivan to the near post for the striker to double the lead on 73 minutes with a glancing header.

O'Connor and Maguire then combined to set up midfielder Stephen Dooley to find the bottom corner of the net for the third goal seven minutes from time.

Longford Town: Skinner; J. Mulhall, Flynn, Rossiter (Gorman, 75), Noack-Hofman, Powell; Gannon, Dillon; Duffy (O'Hanson, 65), Simon (Cowan, 70), O'Sullivan.

Cork City: McNulty; Healy (O'Sullivan, h-t), McSweeney, Bennett (Turner, 78), O'Connor; G. Morrissey, Bolger (Buckley, 61); Beattie, Holohan, Dooley; Maguire.

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).