For large parts of this one-sided victory, which will aid Stephen Kenny’s outfit in their bid to qualify for Europe through the league, Cork played like a side who have already accepted automatic relegation as their fate. Games are running out in their survival bid and their fate could be confirmed as early as next Friday, if results go a certain way.
Cork could still finish the season on something of a high as they have an FAI Cup semi-final at home to St Pat’s to plan for but a repeat performance of this dismal display will only end up in more disappointment.
A dominant Pat’s didn’t need to work too hard for a win which was all but secured after 18 minutes, following two soft goals. It took Pat’s only seven minutes to break Cork’s resistance: a good run from birthday boy Melia was ended by a challenge from Rory Feely but from the resulting corner-kick, taken by Simon Power, the defending was absent as defender Joe Redmond was unmarked as he got in a free header to score his third of the season.
There was almost a repeat on 12 minutes when Power’s corner was met by another free header from a Pat’s defender, this time Tom Grivosti, forcing Conor Brann to save on the line.
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But Cork’s softness was exposed again as Seani Maguire lost possession while trying to mount an attack, his teammates did nothing to retrieve the situation while Power picked out Kian Leavy, who easily turned his marker and whipped in a cross which Melia headed home – appropriately enough in the 18th minute.
The visitors offered little in response and City boss Ger Nash debated with his staff on the pitch at half-time, before making three changes as Charlie Lyons, Greg Bolger and Josh Fitzpatrick all got a run but saw no real change to the pattern of the game.
There was some decent play – relative to how poor they had been – from Cork with those subs on in the opening minutes of the second half, with a shot on target from Evan McLaughlin, but they crumbled again as Pat’s scored twice. Melia pounced on 58 minutes as a poor clearance from Freddie Anderson gave possession to Jamie Lennon whose ball was perfect for the teenager to profit, and on 63 minutes Leavy was unmarked in the box to fire home after a Grivosti shot was blocked.
With so much time left to play and a deficit that was irretrievable, Cork just wanted the game to end as Kenny emptied his bench to get minutes into the legs of his squad players, but City could be a First Division side again before the week’s end.
ST PATS: Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Grivosti, McClelland (Mulraney 66), Lennon (Robinson 75), Baggley; Power (Kazeem 65), Leavy, Garrick (Kavanagh 75); Melia (Carty 64).
CORK: Brann; Crowley, Anderson, Feely, Couto; Nolan (Fitzpatrick 46), S Murray (Bolger 46), Kamara (Lyons 46), Nelson (M Murray 63); McLaughlin; Maguire (Lutz 65).
REF: N Doyle