City held at home by Treaty

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It was a wet and windy night in Turners Cross for the penultimate home game of the season for Cork City, as they hosted Munster rivals Treaty United. This fixture has already produced three draws so far this season, so both sides were hoping for a change in fortunes in the fourth and final meeting.

City headed into this one off the back of a crazy 3-3 draw away to Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds, a game which included a brace on each side, Seani Maguire for City and Christian Magerusan for Bray. City were perhaps quite lucky to escape with a draw and were looking to improve the performance this time out against Treaty. Tim Clancy made four changes to the side that he fielded in Bray, with Cathal O’Sullivan, Darragh Crowley, Aidan Dowling and Greg Bolger falling out of the starting eleven, being replaced by Arran Healy, Josh Fitzpatrick, Brad Wade and Sean Murray. Tim Clancy also named fifteen-year-old David Dunne in the matchday squad. 

As for Treaty, they were coming off of a 3-1 home win against bottom of the table Longford Town. Treaty’s playoff chances have already been squashed, as they sat ten points off Wexford with three to play as of before the match vs City. Treaty were in good form heading into this bout though, as they had picked up seven points from their last four, picking up points being something Treaty have struggled to do this season, as they sit in eighth place. Despite this, they've shown up against City this season, so they were aiming for another shock result this time around.

It was Treaty who started the stronger team, immediately pinning City back and going close two minutes in. A fifty-fifty tackle between Yoyo Mahdy and Josh Fitzpatrick in the City half broke for Lee Lynch in a central area. Lynch shifted past Cian Coleman on the edge of the box and released a right footed shot low towards the bottom left corner, but Brad Wade got a palm on it to keep the game level.

It was an almost exact replica of that chance that gave Treaty the lead a mere minute later. Treaty worked the ball well from a throw in of theirs over on the right hand side. The ball found Lee Lynch in the middle, who did well to shift it on to his right foot and beautifully guide his shot into the bottom left corner from outside the box to give the visitors an early lead.

It was all Treaty for the opening stages of the game, with City seemingly struggling to get a hold of the game and impose their style of play on the game. Treaty had cooled the game right down, but went close twice in quick succession twenty five minutes in. Matthew Kiernan took a throw in towards Brad Wade, but under pressure Wade had to clear it, but his attempted clearance landed at the feet of Lee Devitt at the edge of the box, Devitt quickly went to lob Wade, but City's shot-stopper was able to tip it over for a corner. The following corner resulted in a scramble in the box, in which both Evan O’Connor and Richkov Boevi had shots blocked on the line.

Treaty kept causing City issues and could have gone two up ten minutes later. The visitors broke through the City midfield, with Yoyo Mahdy receiving the ball slightly to the right just outside the CIty area. Mahdy slips it down the right channel to Nikodem Kozlowski, who took a shot on the turn in the box and forced Brad Wade into a solid save with his feet to keep it at just the one goal deficit. 

City started getting ball of their own and finally began to test the Treaty backline a bit. They got their first big chance with five minutes to go in the half. Arran Healy collected the ball in midfield and sent it to the feet of Seani Maguire. Maguire tried slipping Josh Fiztpatrick through, but the ball got a deflection and came to Ruairi Keating with his back to goal. Keating rolled it to the left of the box to tee it up for Malik Dijksteel, who struck it first time. It looked destined for the top right corner, that was until Corey Chambers somehow clawed it away to keep the visitors’ lead going into half time.

It was an improvement that City needed in the second half, and they certainly did that, but still seemed off the mark early on. Treaty began to implement a low block, something City have struggled to break down time and time again this season. The hosts got their first proper chance of the half with ten minutes gone in the second forty five. City won the ball in their own half and Matty Kiernan came bursting out with it. Kiernan released Dijksteel on the counter down the left hand side. Dijksteel sized up Evan O’Connor, before cutting inside and releasing a curling effort from the edge of the box, which just whistled past the far post.

It was just two minutes later that City struck again, but just couldn't find the back of the net. Cian Coleman came charging forward with the ball and fired it centrally to Malik Dijksteel. Dijksteel took it on the turn and played it to Seani Maguire out left. Maguire beat his man and sent a low left footed shot towards goal, but Corey Chambers was able to use his feet to prevent the equaliser.

City went close yet again, this time with eighteen minutes to go. Sean Maguire played a brilliant ball to Matty Kiernan on the left hand side , who drove forward to lead a City counter. Kiernan came centrally then slipped it left to Dijksteel. Dijksteel skipped past Chris Horgan and sent a left foot shot at goal, but Corey Chambers was once again equal to it and pushed Malik’s effort away. That was to be Malik’s last action of the game, as he made way for youngster David Dunne, who made his City debut aged just fifteen after coming through the City academy, which seems to just be churning out talent as of late. A credit to the work being done by Liam Kearney

City finally had their breakthrough five minutes later, through an unlikely source. City had looked dangerous all night from set pieces, so when they lined up for a corner there was always a possibility of an equaliser. Evan McLaughlin swung in the corner and it was met by a stunning volley from the right boot of Cian Coleman at the penalty spot. Coleman struck an acrobatic first time effort accurately into the top left corner to give City their much yearned-for equaliser.

City tried to keep their momentum going and went in search of a winner, and it was actually Treaty who had the best chance of the final few minutes of the game. Richkov Boevi sent a long ball for Trpimir Vrljicak to chase down the left hand side. Vrljicak managed to cut inside and get into the left channel and unleashed a shot towards goal. His shot took a deflection which forced Brad Wade into a good reaction save to keep the game level.

That was the last big action of the match, and for the fourth time this season, Treaty United and Cork City played out a draw. I thought City were pretty sloppy, especially in the first half. There seems to be an element of being on the beach which is naturally going to happen, but even with that CIty found a way to clinch a point. You’d hope that the performance was down to the uninterest and lack of meaning to each game, otherwise problems that City faced against Treaty could pop up in more extreme ways next season. On a more positive note, David Dunne seemed to be quite promising when he came on and seems like he could be a top player.

As for Treaty, I thought they were very impressive in the first half. They caused City issues in the first forty five and then did well in preventing City from creating many proper chances ub the game, and were slightly unfortunate to concede, but Coleman’s goal was just pure quality from the City captain. They were unlucky to lose Lee Lynch early on to injury, as he looked really dangerous early on and potentially could’ve been man of the match.

Despite that, my man of the match goes to Treaty keeper Corey Chambers. The former city shot-stopper was unreal on the night and made several top saves to deny City from scoring on a multitude of occasions throughout the game. Chambers has played extremely well all season for Treaty (especially against City) and you can probably make the case of him being the third best goalie in the league, behind Brad Wade and Kian Moore.

City will turn their attention to a trip to Athlone next Friday night as City play their penultimate game of their league-winning season. As for Treaty, they'll host playoff hunting UCD in their final home game of the season, also on Friday night.