Cork's surge continues

UCD 1 Cork City 2:  Cork City's tremendous late surge continues unabated but only time will tell if their gallant effort is too little too late.

At the very least Damien Richardson is demanding second spot, a position his team now occupy on the back of this deserved, if not always composed, performance.

Cork now trail Drogheda by eight points but, with just five games remaining, time is running out.  Crucially, though, they play the leaders at United Park on Friday week and, on this evidence, will force the issue for as long as they can stomach the fight.

But although this victory stretches Cork's unbeaten run to 11 games, the club's supporters can't help but reflect on what might have been had the team not dragged their feet in August.

Cork - forced to play without Gareth Farrelly and Colin Healy for half the season - registered just five points from a possible 15 that month. The Turner's Cross defeat to Sligo followed by respective draws at home to Bray and Galway must grate considering the swagger with which they now approach their work.

Deploying five men across the middle, UCD did their utmost to disrupt the visitor's gameplan last night and while they succeeded at times, particularly in the second half, Cork always looked menacing when successfully breaching those obstacles.

In-form striker Denis Behan twice went close early on but, first, he steered into the side netting and then headed across the face of goal.

The hosts were soon defending far deeper than they would have liked.  Shane McFaul and Ronan Finn had earlier penetrated from the centre, keen to play in winger Conan Byrne at every opportunity, but now the pair were on their heels containing.

Steadily Cork grew in confidence.  Their distribution was both intelligent and crisp and when, on the half hour, Colin O'Brien side-footed home Farrelly's low cross at the near post Cork never looked back.

Indeed, just seven minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead when Behan nonchalantly headed home his ninth goal in six games from Farrelly's booming throw-in.

If those two quick-fire strikes weren't enough to contend with, UCD were entirely suffocated for the remainder of the half.

Comfortable as they were, Cork still had 45 minutes to negotiate and they found UCD more imposing in every department. 
 
Conan Byrne, Conor Sammon and Finn all went close in quick succession.  Pat McWalter's superb headed goal nine minutes from time ensured a tense finale but Cork, with their backs to the wall, ultimately toughed it out.

UCD:  Quigley; Mahon, McNally, Kenna, Bermingham (McMillan 55); C Byrne, Finn, King, McFaul, McWalter; Sammon (P Byrne 70).

Cork City:  Devine; Horgan, O'Callaghan, Murray, Woods; Farrelly (Kelly 90), O'Brien, Healy, Kearney; McSweeney (Softic 85), Behan.  Booked:  McSweeney (34).

Referee:  D McKeon (Dublin).