City Hit Longford for Six

Cork City 6-0 Longford TownCork City completely demolished Longford Town in the Airtricity League in Turners Cross this evening.A first-half of complete dominance saw City 3-0 up at the break. The home side having possession of the ball throughout the half and spreading it all over the pitch. The first goal came within the opening minutes, Colin Healy – on his first start of the season – struck in a corner from the left that was cleared. As the ball trickled away from the box it teed up perfectly for a long-range shot for Steven Beattie. He pinged a right-footed strike into the net and City were off.It wasn’t long after that centre-half Kenny Browne showed great vision and execution with a long pass into space down the left-wing. Kevin O’Connor galloped onto it and drove into the box with conviction. He had the awareness to spot Seán Maguire lurking opportunistically at the far-post and the former West Ham man made no fuss of dispatching it to the net after O’Connor’s pass.O’Connor looked comfortable at left-back, taking the place of Eoghan O’Connell – who moved across to centre-back to form a partnership with Browne. Not that City’s defence had to cope with anything too taxing throughout the first period: Longford not given any opportunity to muster up any dangerous chances throughout the game.City ended the contest with a Danny Morrissey goal on the stroke of half-time – after Beattie’s shot came off the post. 3-0 at the break.There was no evidence of any let-up from John Caulfield’s men on the game’s resumption. A Danny Morrissey shot cracking off the crossbar. Minutes later saw City’s fourth: Morrissey chesting a cross down to Beattie who made no mistake.Mark McNulty kept a second clean sheet for City in three league games. Their defence giving them a great platform when going forward. The going forward just didn’t stop from City , goal number five arriving with Beattie cooly finishing after a Shepperd effort came back off the crossbar.Praise again must go to Seán Maguire. He barrels over the ball when it’s at his feet, making him very difficult to dispossess. Align that with his cleverness and eye for goal and City have a fantastic addition to the side.City cleared the bench in the second half: Michael McSweeney, Mark O’Sullivan and young Chiedozie Ogbene seeing game-time.On his way back from injury, Danny Morrissey notched his second of the evening and City’s sixth. An outrageous flick of an incoming ball completely taking his opponent out of the game. He met the dropping ball on the other side with a jab into the top right-hand corner in front of the Shed.Poor Longford showing no potential to match City’s class throughout the game. A chance did arrive when Josh O’Hanlon got the ball in the box but it wasn’t long before the City defence swarmed to snuff out the danger.City now find themselves with a tie against Dundalk up in Oriel Park on Friday night. Last season’s champions no doubt seeking revenge for the 2-0 beating they received by City in the President’s Cup Final two weeks ago.City looked primed for a title challenge this season and in his press conference after the game, man-of-the-match Steven Beattie expressed his desire for City to make Turners Cross a frightening prospect for opposing sides, with City dominating possession throughout the game.Tonight that certainly happened - add in good away form and City should continue the progress made over the previous two seasons as they strive to capture the League title for the first time since 2005.