Seani hat-trick leads second-half slaughter as City complete turnaround

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After returning from a disappointing draw in Donegal, Cork City were hoping to go back to winning ways at home to Colin Healy’s Kerry FC on bank holiday Monday. It was a bizarre affair to say the least, as after a poor first half performance from City leaving them 2-0 down, a Seani Maguire led comeback brought the Leesiders to a 4-2 win.

Barry Robson made two changes to the side who were held to a scoreless draw against Harps. Cillian Murphy and AJ Bridge came into the fray, with Conor Drinan and Greg Bolger dropping out.

Colin Healy went with three changes to his team that fell to Cobh Ramblers on Friday. Sean McGrath, Sean O’Connell and Eric Koufie made way, being replaced by Ryan Kelliher, Kieran Cooney and Ewan Lee.

It didn't take long for City’s afternoon to turn sour, as the visitors took the lead after two minutes. A Cian Bargary throw-in came to Cian Murphy in the box, who chested the ball off the arm of Fiacre Kelleher. A penalty was given, and it was Murphy himself who stepped up to take it, with the former City man making no mistake and slotting the ball away to give his new side the lead.

Kerry continued their dominance and went close to making it two in the twenty-fourth minute. A short corner routine sent the ball to Ryan Kelliher at the edge of the box. He took it on the half volley and caught it sweetly, but the effort whistled narrowly over the bar.

City did find a chance to equalise five minutes later, but couldn't take it. Cillian Murphy led a counter and eventually found Josh Fitzpatrick on the right wing by way of a deflected shot. He then laid it to the oncoming Darragh Crowley who struck a low first time effort towards the bottom right corner, a shot which Harry Halwax did well to get down to and parry away.

City’s hope didn't last long though as Kerry doubled their lead on the stroke of half time. The visitors took a quick throw-in to Ryan Kelliher down the left hand side. He cut inside of the trailing Darragh Crowley and fired a brilliant strike past Conor Brann into the top right corner.

That would bring a nightmare half for City to a close as messy and sloppy general play from the hosts allowed the visitors to race off to a two goal lead.

Barry Robson decided to take off AJ Bridge and Ruairi Keating at half-time for Greg Bolger and Conor Drinan, and the changes looked to have worked as the hosts grabbed a goal back in the fifty-fifth minute. Josh Fitzpatrick did brilliant work down the left wing before whipping a cross onto the head of the oncoming Seani Maguire. The frontman made no mistake and guided his effort into the bottom right corner.

It was Greg Bolger who had the chance at a leveller for City in the sixty-ninth minute. Cillian Murphy beat several players down the right wing, before laying it back to the edge of the box to Greg Bolger. He sent a first-time effort towards the bottom right corner, but Harry Halwax managed to push the effort away.

Kerry couldn't hold on for long, as the game state changed dramatically nine minutes later. Darragh Crowley dinked in a ball onto the head of Fiacre Kelleher, who was pulled down by Vince Borden whilst having his header palmed away by Harry Halwax. The referee pointed straight to the spot and gave Borden his marching orders after a second yellow. It was Seani Maguire who stepped up, and he buried the penalty to bring things level.

The fightback wasn't done there though, as the turnaround was complete in the ninetieth minute. Fiacre Kelleher yet again rose highest to a lofted cross into the box, but this time he made no mistake and glanced the ball into the back of the net to send the Cross into raptures.

City weren't quite done yet and it was Seani Maguire who grabbed his third and City’s fourth three minutes into added time. Greg Bolger delivered a brilliant ball in behind the Kerry defence for Hans Mpongo to chase. He rounded the keeper before laying the ball across to Maguire, who rode the tackle of Killian Cantwell and turned the ball home to complete his hat-trick.

And that was that for this one as after an absolutely chaotic affair, it was the Leesiders who ran out 4-2 winners. It was a horror show from City in the first half to be totally honest. Kerry ran the show both in midfield and around City’s box and, unlike other teams this season, they made us pay for it and left City with a mountain to climb. It was a completely new side in the second half though. WIth the change to a 4-2-4, far more pressure was put on the Kerry backline and the build up and patterns were far more structured than in the first half. I thought Kerry represented themselves brilliantly in the first half, they were tactically sound and worked really hard. But, a problem that's been following them this season showed up again, as their inability to hold onto leads became evident.

My Man of the Match goes to Seani Maguire. No real surprise here, Seani was clearly the man of the match after his second half display. Between his three goals and his link up play for other huge chances, he was the catalyst for City’s rise from the dead and more than deserves both the Man of the Match and the match ball.

It’s another Munster Derby for City on Friday as they travel to Limerick to face a struggling Treaty United. As for Kerry, they'll look to pick back up a bit of form as they host UCD.