League Report: Dundalk 4 - 0 Cork City

Dundalk returned to winning ways and to the summit of the SSE Airtricity League table on Friday evening with a 4-0 demolition of Cork City at Oriel Park.

A first half strike from John Mountney and a brace of headers from Patrick Hoban was followed up with a thunderous Richie Towell second half effort to hand Stephen Kenny’s men a facile 4-0 victory.

It was a lightning start from Dundalk as they almost took the lead when a powerful run forward from John Moutney allowed him to find Patrick Hoban but after a sharp turn, his shot went inches wide of the post.

That was after seven minutes but two minutes later the Lilywhites did take the lead. Andy Boyle this time with the run and he pushed forward and fed the ball to Mountney. He turned brilliantly and his shot on the volley, went over the stranded Mark McNulty and into the net.

Chris Shields drilled a shot wide from distance for Dundalk before Daryl Horgan had an effort saved by McNulty.

It was all Dundalk and they doubled their lead on the 18 minute mark when a short corner from Meenan to Horgan was returned to the former Pat’s man and his pinpoint cross found the head of Hoban who nodded to the net.

Cork City then had their first meaningful effort of the half when captain John Dunleavy broke forward and his drive was well saved by Peter Cherrie and it was scrambled clear.

Towell had an effort go over the bar from distance but it was 3-0 after 35 minutes when Dane Massey’s cool pass to Towell was brilliantly controlled by the midfielder and his inch perfect cross was headed home by Hoban for his second of the game.

Towell almost grabbed a goal for himself before the break however his low shot was deflected just wide of the left hand post by Darren Dennehy.

Dundalk began the second half in the exact same way that they finished the first and Towell’s corner kick was onto the head of Hoban but it was flicked just over the bar.

Towell though did get his reward seconds later when the Leesiders failed to clear a corner fully and it broke to the former Celtic starlet. He teed himself up and shot a venomous drive from the edge of the box which sailed to the net past McNulty.

The game then descended into scrappiness and Gearoid Morrissey shot straight at Cherrie for the visitors while a long range shot from Horgan was always going over the bar.

Substitute Iarflaith Davoren’s shot from distance was well blocked by Brian Gartland while at the other end Dundalk substitute David McMillan almost nipped in past McNulty in goal but the Leesiders ‘keeper recovered well.

Rob Lehane beat the offside trap and with more time and space than he thought, his touch was poor and the ball broke away from him.

Horgan shot over the bar from distance in injury-time and that proved to be the final action as referee Paul Tuite brought the match to a close and Dundalk ran out easy winners on the night as they move onto Bray Wanderers in the EA Sports Cup on Monday.

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Sean Gannon, Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Chris Shields; Darren Meenan (Kurtis Byrne 79), John Mountney (Mark Griffin 74), Richie Towell, Daryl Horgan; Patrick Hoban (David McMillan 69).
Subs not used: Gabriel Sava (gk), Ruaidhri Higgins, Mark Rossiter, Simon Kelly.

Booked: None.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Kavanag (Rob Lehane 46), Dan Murray, Darren Dennehy, John Dunleavy (c); Brian Lenihan, Gearoid Morrissey, Garry Buckley (Iarlaith Davoren 46), Billy Denney (Dave O’Leary 58); Mark O’Sullivan, Liam Kearney.
Subs not used: Matt Gledhill (gk), Colin Healy, Ian Turner, Andy O’Connell.

Booked: Dunleavy (61), Kearney (74).

Referee: Paul Tuite

Attendance: 2,039

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Richie Towell (Dundalk).