Cork City crack Longford Town with second half goals

Longford Town . . . 0    Cork City . . . 2

Idle since the opening fixture of the 2024 season when they let victory slip in the disappointing 3-2 defeat at home to Finn Harps, it was another loss for Longford Town in the clash against the First Division title favourites Cork City at Bishopsgate on Saturday night. 

The subsequent postponed games away to Wexford FC and Bray Wanderers (refixed for Monday March 25) has certainly hampered the cause of the Town manager Stephen Henderson and he also had to deal with the absence of regular keeper Jack Brady who was ruled out against Cork due to a virus.

In came 20-year-old debutant Jack McCarthy who kept his net intact in the first half and Longford were unlucky not to take the lead in the early stages of the game when a shot from Dean George hit the post. 

While the midlanders were the better side in a scoreless first half, Cork gradually got on top and broke the deadlock in the 59th minute. 

A wayward clearance broke into the path of former Dundalk player Sean Murray and he created the opportunity for Evan McLoughlin to finish the ball to the Longford net.

That proved to be a severe setback for the stunned home side and Cork, showing a lot more urgency in stepping up a gear on the changeover, wrapped up all three points when another mistake was punished with former Town player Jack Doherty scoring the killer second goal in the 76th minute. 

Longford are back in action at Bishopsgate on Saturday night next (kick-off 7.30pm) when they take on the unbeaten Treaty United in the quest for a positive result against the Limerick club who are currently second in the table on goals difference behind the league leaders Cork City.     

LONGFORD TOWN: Jack McCarthy; Shane Elworthy, Jamie Egan, Oisin Hand, Kyle O’Connor; Luke Wade-Slater (Karl Chambers 68 mins), Conor Crowley (Viktor Serdeniuk 68 mins), Bastien Hery, Dean George (Sami Clarke 46 mins), Adam Wixted (Mohamed Boudiaf 68 mins); Chris Lyons.

CORK CITY: Wade; Nevin, Coleman, Lyons, O’Donovan; Murray, Bolger (Healy 80 mins), McLaughlin; Doherty (Umeh 87 mins), Wood, O’Sullivan (M Murray 89).