{"id":322196,"date":"2026-02-28T17:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T17:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/322196\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T17:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T17:59:10","slug":"cork-city-stay-perfect-as-seani-maguire-header-sees-off-bray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/322196\/","title":{"rendered":"Cork City stay perfect as Seani Maguire header sees off Bray"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n Cork City 1 Bray Wanderers 0\u00a0\n <\/p>\n

The perfect start continues for Cork City, Barry Robson\u2019s side go two points clear at the top of the First Division table after defeating Bray Wanderers on Friday night.<\/p>\n

City were dominant for the opening half-hour and largely in control throughout, yet couldn’t add to Seani Maguire’s first-half header despite a host of chances going begging.<\/p>\n

The Leesiders will rue those missed opportunities, but there were plenty of positives to take in front of 3,175 at Turner\u2019s Cross, none more so than the display of young Cillian Murphy, who claimed the man of the match award for another eye-catching performance, and drew praise from the manager post-match.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time he came in and trained, I don’t think anybody had heard about him,\u201d Robson said post-match. \u201cThen when I arrived I saw him, and it was about 30 seconds I realised this kid can play.\u201d After an impressive showing last week against Wexford, he was even more entertaining here, treating the home crowd to a couple of first-half nutmegs to go with his movement in the final third.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve always said I’m always a big believer the kids will play if they’re ready and if I think they’re good enough and he’s certainly that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he’s got a great head and he wants to learn. He takes information on, and the talent\u2019s there,\u201d Robson explained. \u201cBut the other stuff, he listens to the other side of the game he takes up good positions when we’re trying to play through the lines quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see the positions he plays off the back of midfield players he’s done terrific at it, and he’s a good kid, we’ll look after him.\u201d After seizing control early, the hosts got off the mark in the 14th minute, Maguire heading to the net from close-range after a brilliant cross in from Josh Fitzpatrick.<\/p>\n

\"CillianCillian Murphy of Cork City celebrates after the victory. Picture: Michael P Ryan\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n

Cork City\u2019s wing-backs pushed up to form a front five for the majority of the contest, and they pressed and harried Bray at every opportunity. The visitors had no answer for it.<\/p>\n

Declan Osagie played Sean Brennan through for the visitors\u2019 only real chance in that opening 30 minutes, but Brann saved comfortably. Even after netting the goal to go in front, City kept the pressure on, Mpongo\u2019s 21st minute strike going out for a corner that Kelleher almost headed home following Bolger\u2019s cross.<\/p>\n

Keating and Crowley would both come close, and the hosts would find the net again in the 24th minute \u2013 from that same combination \u2013 Fitzpatrick to Maguire, but the linesman\u2019s flag ruled it out.<\/p>\n

It was only at this stage Bray were able to find room to breathe, but they were still fortunate not to concede a second when Ryan Kelly\u2019s defensive error left Maguire with possession in front of a gaping goal, but the City forward couldn\u2019t beat the angle.<\/p>\n

Even as the hosts\u2019 dominance waned as the half wore on, the Seagulls were lucky not to be further behind.<\/p>\n

In the second period City\u2019s control wasn\u2019t as profound, but their opponents did little to trouble Brann, Billy O\u2019Neill\u2019s 68th minute effort the sole outlier.<\/p>\n

Maguire and Keating again continued to probe and poke, but City couldn\u2019t find a way through. The former came close in the 52nd minute with a shot that Osagie cleared off the line, while the latter hit City\u2019s second offside goal in the 78th minute.<\/p>\n

\"CianCian Doyle of Bray Wanderers in action against Greg Bolger, Cork City. Picture: Michael P Ryan\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n

Hans Mpongo threatened in the 67th minute but Jimmy Corcoran kept it out, and Murphy was almost fouled for a penalty for the second successive game, though this one was just outside the box.<\/p>\n

He would take the shot from the kick \u2013 which came after an elaborate routine \u2013 but his 70th minute effort was blocked. Mpongo had a great chance saved in added time but Corcoran did well to deny him.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, though, the absence of any real punch up front left Wanderers with nothing to show for their efforts.<\/p>\n

\n CORK CITY: Brann; Lyons (Drinan 79), Kelleher, Feely; Mpongo, Bolger, Crowley, Fitzpatrick (Nevin 65); Murphy; Maguire, Keating (Kiernan 87).<\/p>\n

\n BRAY WANDERERS: Corcoran; Kizenga (Duggan 61), Osagie, Chidi, Kelly (O\u2019Shea 61); Tucker (Ferizaj 61), Doyle; Brennan (McCormack 73); O\u2019Neill, Ring (Nyembo 73), Sammy.<\/p>\n

\n Referee: O Moran (Dublin)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cork City 1 Bray Wanderers 0\u00a0 The perfect start continues for Cork City, Barry Robson\u2019s side go two…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322197,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[2110,25403,42,2539,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-322196","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-cork-sport","9":"tag-cork-city-fc","10":"tag-headlines","11":"tag-league-of-ireland","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-top-news","14":"tag-top-stories","15":"tag-topnews","16":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}