Late winner sees Cork suffer travel sickness
from the irish independent
SHELBOURNE 2 ; CORK CITY 1
A LATE goal from Shelbourne's veteran striker Stephen Geoghegan handed Cork City their third consecutive away defeat at Tolka Park last night.
Cork havent won on the road this season and even though they took the lead through John O'Flynns 13th goal of the season, goals from Jim Gannon and Stephen Geoghegan gave Shelbourne maximum points.
For a long period of the game it looked as though Shelbournes lack of potency in front of goal was once again going to cost them dearly.
A look at Shels list of goalscorers this season tells its own story.
Midfielder Stuart Byrne is top-scorer with seven goals and the three recognised strikers used this season have only scored five goals between them.
Not surprisingly, Shels have been scouring far and wide for a striker since the season began, but without success.
In the first 20 minutes of this match Shels created a phenomenal 10 chances as they pulled the Cork defence apart but drew a blank.
Geoghegan was the biggest culprit missing three chances that he would have ruthlessly finished in his prime.
He shot tamely at Devine on two occasions after mistakes by Alan Bennett and Daly while only he knows how he managed to scoop the ball over the bar from three yards after being picked out by Gannons header.
Cork, having survived that early barrage of Shelbourne pressure, soon began to get a grip of the game as Conor OGrady and Alan Reynolds eventually came to terms with Stuart and Davy Byrne in midfield.
And they rocked Shelbourne in the 43rd minute with a goal that was completely against the run of play but was brilliant conceived and executed.
Goalkeeper Michael Devine plucked a high cross under pressure and released Billy Woods down the left.
He carried the ball over the half-way line, looked up and then played a magnificent 40 yard crossfield pass that skimmed over the head of James Gannon and into the path of John OFlynn.
The teenager killed the ball with his first touch, teed it up with his second and drilled a low shot past Steve Williams into the far corner with his third touch.
Not surprisingly, given the lack of cutting edge up front, Shels deserved equaliser after 58 minutes came from a defender. Ollie Cahills corner from the right was headed home at the back post by Jim Gannon.
But then, just as the game was heading towards an seemingly inevitable draw up popped Geoghegan to show that at 32 there is still a few goals left in the tank.
He met a knockdown from Barry Prenderville on the edge of the six yard box and blasted it with venom past Devine to lessen the need for a new striker for at least one more game.
Re: Late winner sees Cork suffer travel sickness
Quote:
Originally posted by Éanna
In the first 20 minutes of this match Shels created a phenomenal 10 chances as they pulled the Cork defence apart but drew a blank.
:eek:
Re: Late winner sees Cork suffer travel sickness
Quote:
Originally posted by Éanna
And they rocked Shelbourne in the 43rd minute with a goal that was completely against the run of play but was brilliant conceived and executed.
Goalkeeper Michael Devine plucked a high cross under pressure and released Billy Woods down the left.
He carried the ball over the half-way line, looked up and then played a magnificent 40 yard crossfield pass that skimmed over the head of James Gannon and into the path of John OFlynn.
Nicer description (more accurate too) than tv3 labeling it as a defensive mistake.
:eek:
