Mpongo brace brings City victory in top of the table clash

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After a long wait thanks to the late cancellation of the Treaty game, City finally returned to action at the Cross, hosting Wexford in their second clash of the season. It was a similar outcome to the last game, with City securing a 2-1 win courtesy of a brace from Dutchman Hans Mpongo.

Barry Robson made two changes to the team that clinched a dramatic victory against Kerry last time out. AJ Bridge and Ruairi Keating dropped to the bench, with Conor Drinan and Greg Bolger coming into the side.

As for Wexford, Stephen Elliott named an unchanged side from the team that beat Athlone last Friday.

It didn't take long for City to find the opener, as they took the lead after three minutes. A defensive header from Fiacre Kelleher found Greg Bolger who launched a ball towards Seani Maguire, who fought off Robbie McCourt to go bursting away. He slipped it through to Hans Mpongo, who was able to guide the ball past the keeper to grab City the lead.

Mpongo went from hero to zero five minutes later. Cillian Murphy slipped a good ball down the right channel for Seani Maguire, he sent an effort which looked to be on the way to the bottom left corner. Mpongo slid in on the line to try to make sure of it, but instead he managed to clear it off the line to prevent City doubling their lead.

City failed to take advantage of the early dominance, and it came back to bite them in the thirty-third minute. A cross in from Evan Osam was headed up in the air by the City defence, before falling to Jake Doyle in the box. He tussled with Conor Drinan, who managed to poke it away from Doyle. It only went as far as Jamie Wynne though, who struck a low first time effort under Conor Brann and into the bottom right corner.

City tried to hit back and came close on the stroke of half-time. Greg Bolger picked up the ball on the half turn and played it to the feet of Cillian Murphy. He broke towards the edge of the box and tried to curl an effort into the top right corner, but it whistled narrowly over the bar.

That was the last action of the half as City would rue the early chances missed and have to settle for a draw going into the break.

City came out of the break the better side and were a fraction away from regaining the lead in the sixty-sixth minute. Conor Drinan burst through the centre of midfield and slipped it through for Seani Maguire. Maguire took aim at the near right hand corner but Paul Martin did excellently to tip the ball around the post.

The hosts’ pressure would pay off four minutes later. Seani Maguire dinked a ball over the Wexford defence for Ruairi Keating to chase. Dylan Hand stretched to try and clear it but instead played it into the path of Keating who was forced slightly wide to the left. The striker’s touch went into the path of the oncoming Hans Mpongo, who strolled onto it and sent a lonely side-footed effort into the bottom right corner. 

Wexford did go close to a consolation goal three minutes into added time. Ryan Ritchie burst down the left hand side before coming inside and dinking a ball into the box. It came toJack Larking who looped an acrobatic effort dipping just over the crossbar.

That was all she wrote for this one as City got out of there with all three points once again. It was just that bit of quality that separated the sides in this one. It wasn't the best on the eye but City were a lot more convincing when they broke forward than Wexford were. The hosts probably didn't take enough of an advantage of their early dominance which left the door slightly ajar for Wexford to stay alive. Their goal was also a bit of luck even though I reckon Conor Brann should probably save it, but overall for City they were fairly comfortable for most of the game, and earned the three points that they got.

My Man of the Match goes to Hans Mpongo. Cillian Murphy a close second for this, but it's hard to look  past the man that grabbed both goals to get City’s win. He was electric on the night and was instrumental in a large majority of City’s big chances, apart from his horror miss.

City will look to keep the winning streak going in Bray on Friday. As for Wexford, they'll look to bounce back at home to Cobh Ramblers.