Waterford United 1 - 3 Cork City

Cork City kept their bid for promotion to the Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division on track when they claimed a three goals to one success over Waterford United in their Munster derby meeting in the First division at the RSC.

Two goals from former Waterford player Graham Cummins and an opening strike from Gearoid Morrissey gave the Leeside outfit the perfect preparation ahead of their EA Sports League cup final clash against Derry City at Turners Cross on this Saturday evening.

A wonder strike from Waterford striker Gary Keane nearly yielded the breakthrough in the fifth minute of the contest when he took a pass from Gary Dunphy and with Mark McNulty off his line, his stunning right-footed effort came crashing back off the underside of the crossbar.

Davin O’Neill had the first chance for the visitors on 13 minutes when he tested Blues netminder Kevin Burns with an effort from distance but the keeper gathered the ball at the second attempt before a dangerous attack saw Daryl Horgan unable to capitalise  three minutes later.

The Blues continued to force the issue going forward and when Paul Walsh linked up with Paul Phelan on 20 minutes, the winger put the ball into the penalty area but Gary Keane miscued in front of goal when he should have hit the target.

Cork City keeper Mark McNulty picked up the first booking of the game on 32 minutes when he raced 50 yards from his own goal to remonstrate at referee Neil Doyle after he blew up a visiting attack to allow treatment to Blues striker Gary Keane.

McNulty nearly gifted the home side the opening goal five minutes before the half time break when his lacklustre clearance landed at the feet of Gary Keane 35 yards from goal but his goalbound effort was easily cleared by defender Kalen Spillane.

In a rare Cork City attack on 43 minutes, the lead goal arrived when Davin O’Neill set up Gearoid Morrissey on the penalty spot but although Kevin Burns saved the first attempt, the midfielder picked his spot with a super right-footed finish.

The second half was less than three minutes old when the visitors doubled their lead in fantastic style as  Morrissey played in Graham Cummins and after a brilliant first touch, his stunning right-footed finish flew into the top right-hand corner of the net giving Burns no chance whatsoever.

Cummins could have put the game beyond the home side on 54 minutes when a quick counterattack from Cork saw the striker take a pass from Shane Duggan, however his effort from 14 yards flashed inches over the bar.

It was the former Blues striker that grabbed his second goal on 76 minutes when he rose unchallenged at the back post to get on the end of a right-wing Gearoid Morrissey cross before heading past a helpless Kevin Burns.

Waterford pulled a goal back three minutes later when Gary Keane picked out Dwayne Wilson with a fine pass out on the right channel and his cross found Willie John Kiely, who beat keeper Mark McNulty with a decent finish from 14 yards.

Kiely nearly set up a rip-roaring finish to the derby on 83 minutes when David Breen’s long ball was flicked on by Sean Maguire for the striker and after outpacing the visiting defence, his right-footed strike came crashing back off the crossbar.

Daryl Horgan nearly capped off the win for the visitors in style in second half injury time when he got clear on goal but his attempted lob of Waterford keeper Kevin Burns was brilliantly kept out by the netminder as City claimed all three points.

Waterford United: Burns; Carey, Breen, Browne, Coady; Walsh, Dunphy (Maguire `58), Long (Nolan `80), Phelan (Wilson `69); Kiely, Keane

Cork City: McNulty; O’Halloran, Kavanagh, Spillane, Murphy; D. Horgan, G. Morrissey, Duggan, O’Brien (Sullivan `72); Cummins, O’Neill

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin)

Attendance: 497

Extratime.ie man of the match: Gearoid Morrissey (Cork City: Was brilliant throughout)