City quick to kill off local rivals

Cork City 5 Cobh Ramblers 0: CORK CITY showed exactly what they can do when blowing away their local rivals at Turner's Cross last night to resuscitate their Premier Division hopes.

Two goals from Dave Mooney and a further two assists to set up Liam Kearney ensured the league's new top scorer the man-of-the-match accolade.

After some dull early exchanges, a Liam Kearney shot signalled Cork's moving up a gear in the 20th minute, paving the way for John O'Flynn's opener in the 24th minute.

Latching on to a pass over the top from Joe Gamble, the Cobh-born striker chipped over James McCarthy from the edge of the box on the left hand side, the ball eventually dropping in at the far post.

The second goal was just as impressive, worked down the right flank this time. Kearney, believing he had been taken down by Michael Mulconry in the box with 35 minutes gone, kept his composure in the 40th to put Mooney through. He held off a Cobh challenge to blast past McCarthy from eight yards.

Deservedly, Kearney notched his name on the scoresheet in the 53rd minute when running on to a scooped Mooney pass down the left, he held the ball as McCarthy slipped and then took his time to blast home his side's third of the evening.

A fourth followed 13 minutes later when the hungry Mooney darted on to another pass down the left, just about managing to keep it in at the end line. He was given too much space to work his way back in, allowing him to size up the target and thump the ball home.

The final strike saw the same two players pair up again, Mooney sending the ball inside to Kearney, who advanced to 12 yards out from where he hit his second of the night with six minutes to go.

CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan ( Lordan 73), Murray, Sullivan, Danny Murphy; Healy, Gamble, Darren Murphy (Meyler 81), Kearney; O'Flynn (Behan 85), Mooney.

COBH RAMBLERS: McCarthy; Carey, McCarthy, Guthrie, Meade; Mulconry, Kearney, Barrett, O'Neill; Cummins, O'Shea.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).