Cork City 1-1 KR Reykjavík
Cork City will travel to Iceland next week with a place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League still up for grabs following a 1-1 draw with opponents KR Reykjavík at Turner’s Cross.
Playing in Europe for the first time in seven years, last year’s League runners up were quietly fancied to challenge their seeded counterparts, and it was Alan Bennett that put Cork ahead with a superbly-taken header early in the first half.
A loss of concentration saw KR back on level terms nine minutes later though, with Oskar Hauksson coming through from midfield to power home a corner and claim a precious away goal for the team from Reykjavík.
City boss John Caulfield was forced to start Ross Gaynor at right back in place of the injured John Kavanagh, but was at least buoyed by the return of captain John Dunleavy to the substitute’s following a prolonged spell on the sideline for the Donegal man.
KR, for their part, lined out in a fluid 4-5-1 formation with Soren Frederiksen leading the line up front, capably supported by Jacob Schoop and Hauksson.
The visitors gave the first indication of their potential when Frederiksen neatly trapped a long ball forward to supply Hauksson; however, the latter’s effort was well off target.
Billy Dennehy registered Cork’s first opportunity with 10 minutes gone. The winger was teed up nicely by John O’Flynn and moved inside from the right to unleash a shot that bobbled wide of Stefán Logi Magnusson’s goalpost.
Two half chances for KR centre-half Skúli Jon Fridgeirsson kept City’s defence on their toes. The Leesiders responded through a Karl Sheppard header before a classic training ground move broke the deadlock on 19 minutes. Liam Miller, playing in a more forward role than usual, was fouled by KR captain Rafn Pálmi Pálmason, and it was Billy Dennehy’s floated free kick that allowed Bennett curl a looping header beyond Magnusson’s reach.
The League of Ireland side fancied causing problems from another set piece on 25 minutes. O’Flynn was fouled in a promising position on the edge of the KR box but the final ball from Miller came back off the wall, and it was Rasmus Christiansen that eventually cleared the danger.
The equaliser, when it arrived on 28 minutes, was a superb piece of clinical finishing from the men in black and white. Mark McNulty made an initial save from Fridgeirsson to concede a corner. Schoop’s landed his set piece right into the heart of the City box where an incoming Hauksson directed a bullet of a header to the back of the net.
Hauksson and Schoop paired up again seven minutes later to piece together another decent move. The latter picked up the ball down the left wing and forged inside to supply his attacking partner with a lovely ball. Schoop struck the ball cleanly but fired just off target.
KR managed to dampen the spirits of the 4,641-strong home crowd with their goal but they were back on their feet just before the break as Kevin O’Connor raced clear down the left only to see his ball inside to O’Flynn intercepted.
With Dunleavy on for the second half, City started the second half brightly. A Billy Dennehy cross inside from the left found Sheppard free in the six-yard box but instead of taking the chance on for himself, the striker redirected the ball back down towards the incoming O’Flynn. The City number nine struck the ball low but straight at Magnusson, who blocked with his leg.
McNulty was immediately called on at the other end, however, conceding another corner in deflecting another effort from Ormarsson away from danger.
A disallowed goal for City - Sheppard penalised for a foul on the KR keeper - had the Shed back in full voice for the remainder of the contest. Substitute Mark O’Sullivan couldn’t keep his header from a Dunleavy cross down on 77 minutes. Caulfield’s men then had a strong penalty shout three minutes later, as their burly number 23 was bundled over in the KR box. However, referee Mads-Kristoffer Kristoffersen waved play on.
City relentlessly pushed for a second right right into added time. However, it will be KR that travel home happiest having needled City throughout the contest and grabbed a valuable away goal.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Ross Gaynor (John Dunleavy ’46), Alan Bennett, Darren Dennehy, Kevin O’Connor; Billy Dennehy, Liam Miller, Colin Healy (Dan Murray ’66), Garry Buckley; John O’Flynn (Mark O’Sullivan ’59), Karl Sheppard.
Substitutes: Gavan Holohan, Kevin O’Brien, Rob Lehane, Liam Kearney.
KR: Stefán Logi Magnusson; Gonzalo Balbi (Aron Bjarki Jósepsson ‘30), Skúli Jón Fridgeirsson, Rasmus Christiansen, Gunnar Thor Gunnarsson; Almar Ormarsson (Thorsteinn Mar Ragnarsson ’74), Jonas Gudni Saevarsson, Pálmi Rafn Pálmason, Jacob Schoop, Oskar Hauksson (Gary Martin ’68); Soren Frederiksen.
Substitutes: Gretar Sigfinnur Sigurdarson, Sindri Snaer Jensson, Kirstinn Johannes Magnusson, Axel Sigurdarson.
Referee: Mads-Kristoffer Kristofferson
