Late City winner sinks Treaty to kick-start new season

By Donncha Noonan

It was a welcomed return to action for Cork City on Friday night, as they hosted Treaty United for their first match under new boss Barry Robson. It took City ninety-one minutes to grab the win, courtesy of a Jack Brady own goal to break Treaty hearts.

Barry Robson introduced new signing Hans Mpongo from the start on the wing, with Ruairi Keating, Seani Maguire, Conor Drinan and Rory Feely among others who got the nod.

Tommy Barrett, someone rumoured to have turned down the City job in the offseason, started multiple new signings in his side, including Jack Brady, Cian Curtis, Ben Feeney and Raphael Ohin.

It was Treaty who started the faster of the two sides, with the visitors coming close after four minutes. City couldn't fully clear a Treaty freekick, which allowed Cian Curtis to play through Mark Walsh down the left channel, with Walsh’s first time striker whizzing past Conor Brann’s near post.

Treaty went near to an opener again two minutes later. Jack Brady collected a City corner and bombed it long aiming for Roy Lawlor. It landed towards Josh Fitzpatrick, but he miscued the clearance and Lawlor was released one on one, but his effort went straight into the arms of Conor Brann.

City had their first chance of the game in the tenth minute. Hans Mpongo took on his man down the left hand side and pulled the ball across the box for Seani Maguire. He took a touch and sent an effort on the turn towards goal, but Jack Brady dealt with it comfortably.

Treaty had their best chance of the game in the twenty second minute. Ben Feeney latched onto the ball down the right wing and cut inside the City defence. He kept angling for a shot on the edge of the box, eventually drilling one towards the far right corner, but he saw his effort rattle the post and be cleared by the Leesiders.

That would be the last action of the first half, where Treaty got the better of City, but both sides went into the break level.

It was City who managed the first chance of the second half in the sixty first minute. It was Hans Mpongo again causing an issue down the right hand side. He cut in and had a shot deflected into the air. It landed at Ruairi Keating who spun and shot towards the back post. Seani Maguire came flying in but the rolling ball just evaded the striker's path and went wide.

Maguire went close to a goal again in the seventy seventh minute. Greg Bolger floated a ball over the Treaty defence for the frontman. He took it down at a tight angle and fired a half volley towards goal, forcing Jack Brady into a great reflex save to keep the game even.

The breakthrough was finally made in the first minute of added time, and it was City who found it. Cillian Murphy released Mpongo down the left wing, who battled hard to get to the byline and pull a ball across goal. Ruairi Keating controlled it and sent an effort past Jack Brady at his near post to give his side a dramatic win.

That was all she wrote for this one as City came away with all three points to start their season. Barry Robson’s side started slowly in the first half, especially at the back allowing Treaty some big chances and were perhaps lucky that they went into half time without conceding. They tightened up at the back in the second half though, restricting the visitors to very few proper moments. City did well for most of the game to get into good areas, but shooting opportunities were scarce up until the last half an hour, where they kicked into gear a little bit, with Jack Brady’s own goal providing the winner that they probably deserved after the previous half an hour of trying.

My Man of the Match is City’s Hans Mpongo. Mpongo was a shining light in a City forward line which lacked creativity at times during the game, but the Dutchman was a consistent spark for the hosts all night long and caused Treaty plenty of issues at the back. He topped his performance off with the cross in for the own goal.

City will look to continue this winning start as they travel to Ferrycarrig Park on Friday to take on Wexford FC. As for Treaty, they’ll hope they can get their first points of the season at home to Bray Wanderers.