Hans hat-trick helps City back to the top of the league

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After a hugely disappointing weekend which contained losses to both Cobh Ramblers and Kerry FC, Cork City were looking to reclaim their place at the top of the table as they hosted league leaders UCD at the Cross, a game which had banners displaying the supporters’ discontent with the current ownership of the club. City responded well to the shortcomings of last week, beating UCD 3-1 courtesy of a hat-trick by winger Hans Mpongo.

Barry Robson made three changes to the side that lost to Kerry. Greg Bolger, Rory Feely and Josh Fitzpatrick all returned to the side, replacing Niall O’Keeffe, Ruairi Keating and the suspended Charlie Lyons.

There were two changes for UCD after their narrow win in Cobh on Monday, with Charles Akimrintoyo and Thomas Morley coming out, being replaced by Louis Dignam and Killian Calloice.

It didn't take long for the first action of the game to occur, with City winning a penalty after two minutes. A high boot towards the chest of Darragh Crowley from Mikey McCullagh in the box was enough for the referee to point to the spot. A poorly placed penalty from Seani Maguire was saved by Dara Kavanagh, but Hans Mpongo was on hand to tap in the rebound and give City an early lead.

City stayed on top of the visitors and almost made it two through Cillian Murphy in the twenty-third minute. Murphy won the ball on the right hand side and went on a brilliant run down the line. The youngster then cut inside and danced through bodies before aiming a shot towards goal, but Kavanagh was able to comfortably collect the effort.

It was Josh Fitzpatrick’s turn to test the keeper nine minutes later. He had his throw-in returned to him on the right hand side by Darragh Crowley. Fitzpatrick came inside, beating two men before releasing an effort at goal, but once again Dara Kavanagh was there to stop it.

That was all the chances of note in a fairly boring first half as a comfortable Cork City rolled into the break a goal to the good.

City started the second half just as in control as they did the first, and they managed to grab a second goal in the sixty-first minute. Harry Nevin picked up the ball on the right wing and went on a marauding run, innovatively beating Luca Calloice before firing the ball across the box. His cross found the unmarked Hans Mpongo, who buried the ball into the back of the net to notch City’s second.

The Dutchman wasn't done there though as he grabbed his hat-trick with ten minutes to play. Greg Bolger floated a ball into the box from deep. It landed on the head of Seani Maguire, who nodded it across goal, where Hans Mpongo was on hand to send a towering header into the roof of the net.

UCD did have chances of their own towards the end of the game, forcing Conor Brann into a good save in the eighty-fifth minute. An Akimrintoyo cross was deflected into the path of the oncoming Ciaran Behan, who tried to smash it past Conor Brann but the City keeper reacted excellently to keep the effort out. 

Unfortunately though, City couldn't hold onto the clean sheet as UCD got a goal back two minutes into added time. Akimrintoyo caused more problems down the left hand side, putting a cross in that was cleared out to Goodness Ogbonna. He cut in and shot, an effort that Brann parried into the path of Mikey Raggett, who turned the ball home for a UCD consolation goal.

And that was all for this encounter as City gave a much needed response to the failures of last weekend with a comfortable 3-1 win, a type of performance that hopefully can now be replicated throughout the rest of the season. It was the kind of response I was expecting after the Cobh game, but it was most definitely necessary due to the growing concern present around the fanbase after last week. Overall City were extremely in control of the game and reduced UCD to very little over the course of the ninety, leaving City good value for the three points.

My Man of the Match goes to Cork City’s Hans Mpongo. Although his overall game wasn’t the most efficient out of all the City players, you can’t look past a player with a hat-trick for a man of the match award. He was popping up in dangerous areas all throughout the game, and you don't just stumble into scoring a hat-trick, his movement was immense to arrive at the right moments to score his goals.

City will look to build on this good result on Saturday as they travel to Longford. For UCD, they’ll need to keep within touching distance of City as they'll look to win at home to Bray on Friday.