Cork City 2 Longford Town 1Cork City had to endure a nervous closing five minutes before picking up three Eircom League points from a spirited Longford Town at Turner's Cross last night.
Cork led by two goals after 54 minutes and were comfortably in control of the game. But they relaxed, and Longford came roaring back in the closing quarter.
Cork's opening goal after 20 minutes was a tribute to John O'Flynn's persistence. He knocked the ball away from Danny O'Connor, and when Roy O'Donovan drove the ball across the area, Neale Fenn turned it sweetly for O'Flynn to score from 10 yards.
Cork goalkeeper Michael Devine was forced off with a knee injury in the 29th minute, and Longford grew more effective in attack as they threw Alan Kirby forward after losing the goal.
O'Flynn struck again after 54 minutes. Stephen Paisley was put under pressure by O'Donovan as he chased a ball towards his own goal. He attempted to find goalkeeper Séamus Kelly with a header but O'Flynn raced between them to take the ball around the goalkeeper and walked it into the net. Longford's goal came in the 76th minute when Robbie Martin pulled the ball across from the left and Kevin Doherty fired home from 12 yards.
CORK CITY: Devine (McNulty 29); Horgan, Lordan, Murray, Murphy; O'Donovan, O'Brien, Gamble, O'Callaghan; Fenn, O'Flynn (Behan 77).
LONGFORD TOWN: Kelly; A Murphy, Doherty, O'Connor, Paisley (Cronin 64); G Murphy (R Murphy 58), Gough, Kirby, J Martin, Prunty; Baker.
Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).
