Cork City reduced the gap to Dundalk at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division to just one point as they comfortably defeated Derry City 5-0 at Turner’s Cross on Monday evening.
Goals from Jimmy Keohane, Damien Delaney, a debut strike for Ronan Coughlan and a brace from Garry Buckley was enough to see the home side deservedly cut the gap to the Lilywhites to the minimum although they have now played one game more.
The Leesiders remained unchanged from the side that was defeated convincingly by Legia Warsaw in their Champions League first round qualifier second leg at the Polish Army Stadium last Tuesday night with Damien Delaney handed his first league start since returning to the club.
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Cork started brightly and shortly after both Karl Sheppard and Keohane went close.
Barry McNamee should have broken the deadlock in the seventh minute but he couldn’t convert Sheppard’s pullback from close range.
Derry made just the one change to the side that was knocked out of the Europa League despite their 2-1 win away to Dinamo Minsk last Thursday with Ronan Hale replacing his brother Rory who dropped out of the squad completely.
And the younger Hale ought to have edged his side in front against the run of play in the eighteenth minute but he could only power Jamie McDonagh’s superb cross onto the bar from close range.
The champions quickly punished their opponents for missing that glorious chance as they took the lead following a sweeping attacking move.
Sheppard cleverly turned McNamee’s pass into the path of the on-running Buckley and the attacking midfielder expertly blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
Cork continued to pile players forward and after Buckley and McNamee threatened from distance, eventually doubling their lead just past the half-hour mark through Keohane.
The midfielder composed himself twenty yards from goal before drilling a low strike under the outstretched Gerard Doherty who got a touch to it but couldn’t prevent it from finding the net.
These clubs last faced each other at this venue in the league back at the beginning June with the Candystripes coming from two goals down to level before Cork eventually ran out 4-2 winners.
And they almost pulled a goal back with the first half drawing to a close but following a corner, both Gavin Peers and then Dan Seaborne were denied by stunning double save from Peter Cherrie.
That would prove decisive as the home side all-but sealed the three points shortly after the restart as Buckley grabbed his second and his side's third of the evening.
Cummins broke clear inside the area and rather than shoot, he unselfishly rolled the ball across the face of goal where the gracious Buckley was on hand to slide the ball home.
Things got better for Cork boss John Caulfield, who was serving his one-match touchline ban following his sending off away to Dundalk, and the majority of the 3,573 in attendance, as they made it 4-0 with 63 minutes on the clock.
And it was Delaney who got it as he towered Sheppard’s pullback into the top left corner with his head for his first goal for the club.
Coughlan soon emerged from the bench to make his competitive debut and he completed the scoring late on – the first time Cork scored five goals this season - as he coolly clipped the ball over the keeper after Steven Beattie’s initial effort was parried.
CORK CITY: Peter Cherrie; Steven Beattie, Damien Delaney, Sean McLoughlin (Aaron Barry 69), Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Jimmy Keohane; Karl Sheppard (Kieran Sadlier 76), Garry Buckley, Barry McNamee; Graham Cummins (Ronan Coughlan 66).
DERRY CITY: Gerard Doherty; Darren Cole, Gavin Peers (Eoin Toal 56), Dan Seaborne; Jamie McDonagh (Conor McDermott 56), Aaron Splaine, Dean Shiels, Aaron McEneff, Ben Fisk (Aidy Delap 66); Ronan Hale, Ally Roy.
Referee: Robert Hennessy.
