Cork City 3-0 Finn Harps
Friday, 18 April 2008 23:07Cork City easily overcame Finn Harps at a wet and windy Turner's Cross.
Alan Matthews side took the lead on thirty minutes when Liam Kearney shot low into the corner of the Harps net from the edge of the penalty area.
Denis Behan doubled the lead when he volleyed home a Dave Mooney cross just before the break, and George O'Callaghan got Cork's third after 47 minutes to seal the points.
Both sides went into this game with contrasting form. Cork are unbeaten this season after six league games and three Setanta Cup outings, while Finn Harps lost their last three league clashes, including a 3-0 home defeat to St Patrick's Athletic last week.
Paul Hegarty made three changes for Harps bringing in Marc Mukendi, Declan Boyle and Kevin Ramsey. Cork welcomed back Dan Murray who missed the Galway game with a knee injury, but striker John O'Flynn picked up an injury in training and Denis Behan replaced him in attack.
After a closely fought first thirty minutes the home side gradually showed their superior class. Cork winger Liam Kearney received the ball on the right hand side of the area and fired a low shot past Gavin Cullen to score his first goal of the season and give his side a deserved lead.
Cork scored a fine second goal five minutes before the break. Dave Mooney crossed the ball from the right wing and Denis Behan popped up to belt the ball to the roof of the Harps net from eight yards.
The Donegal side had hoped for a brighter start to the second half, but instead found themselves 3-0 behind when Cullen failed to keep out a George O'Callaghan shot that he really should have saved.
After that it was plain sailing for Cork who are at home again next week against league champions Drogheda.
Cork City: Devine; Horgan, Murray, Lordan, Danny Murphy; O'Callaghan, Gamble, Healy, Kearney; Behan, Mooney.
Substitutes; O'Connor for Mooney 83 mins, Darren Murphy for Behan 89.
Finn Harps: Cullen; Labonte, Mukendi, Malcolm, Holmes; Brolly, Boyle, McGowan, Williams, Gethins; Ramsey.
Substitutes; Funston for McGowan h/t, Parkhouse for Ramsey 63,
Roddy for Mukendi 87.
Referee: Hugo Whoriskey.
