Corkbeg turned in a fantastic performance at Stephen Ireland Park, Cobh on Friday night, when they beat Springfield 3-1 and make it six wins from six games, in AUL Premier A. After heavy rain all week, the game was switched to the all-weather venue, as Springfields home pitch would have been unplayable over the weekend.
It was all one way traffic in the opening half, as Corkbegs high pressure, fast passing game kept the home side on the back foot throughout. Jordan Ryan and Kevin O Hanlon were at the heart of everything good that Corkbeg did and Corkbeg had numerous attempts at goal in the opening half hour. Shane Bennett came closest, with a brilliant solo effort that shaved the crossbar on its way over.
Alan Hogan did have the ball in the net on 28 minutes, but he was whistled back for a marginal offside. On 33 minutes, the non-stop pressure finally paid off, as Jordan Ryans pinpoint through-ball put Kevin O Hanlon in on goal and he slammed the ball past Alan Burns in the Springfield goal to open the scoring.
Corkbeg doubled their lead early in the second period and it was almost a carbon copy of the first goal, as O Hanlon took a fantastic through-ball from Dylan Casey and dinked a brilliant finish over Burns for a 2-0 lead.
Springfield had to chase the game now and were denied by a brilliant point blank save from Corkbeg goalkeeper Cein O Driscoll, who somehow got a goalbound effort from 6 yards around the post with his leg. But, it was still Corkbeg who should have gone further ahead, as Kevin O Hanlon and Alan Hogan missed good opportunities, while O Hanlon and Shane Bennett both drew decent saves from Burns.
Corkbeg finally put the game out of sight on 78 minutes, when a flowing move involving Max Ahern and Kevin O Hanlon, teed up Jordan Ryan to rifle home the third goal. Cein O Driscoll made another brilliant stop with his feet to deny the home side soon afterwards, while at the other end, Burns produced an absolute worldie to get Jordan Ryans piledriver over the bar.
On 95 minutes, Springfield finally got on the scoresheet, when Springfield midfielder Shane Geasley pinged a free kick into the top corner.
A brilliant three points for the Beg, in a game which they should have won by a wider margin.
Team: C. O Driscoll, D. O Neill, D. Casey, D. Creedon, J. Farmer, A. Berry, S. Bennett, J. Ryan, M. Ahern, A. Hogan, K. O Hanlon. Subs – C. Smith for Farmer(80mins), G. Kelly for O Neill(85mins), K. O Driscoll