Treaty United are the Victors in the Munster Derby

Treaty United emerged victorious from their first competitive meeting with Munster rivals Cork City at the Markets Field on Friday night. Goals from Anthony O’Donnell and Matt Keane, either side of a Cian Coleman header provided the team with a valuable victory to move them on to 9 points.

On a beautiful evening for football, the pressure was on the visitors following three defeats on the bounce whereas Treaty were coming into the game off the back of a four game unbeaten run. The first chance fell to the visitors with the mercurial Dylan McGlade gliding past a couple of challenges on the edge of the area before forcing a save from Tadgh Ryan.

In response, Treaty fashioned a half chance as Kieran Hanlon’s flick to Sean McSweeney resulted in a shot travelling over the crossbar.

On 30 minutes, the home side went in front when Marc Ludden’s dangerous corner was headed onto the crossbar by Clyde O’Connell but Anthony O’Donnell was on hand to tap home from close range to score his second goal of the season.

Ed McCarthy was next to try his luck for Tommy Barrett’s men as he latched on to a diagonal ball from Ludden but the Moyross native’s shot was easily saved by Mark McNulty.

Cork managed to grab an equaliser before half time as Dylan McGalde’s perfectly waited cross was powerfully headed home by former Limerick FC man Cian Coleman.

Treaty were threatening from set-pieces all evening and O’Donnell could have grabbed his second midway through the second period but saw his header loop onto the crossbar before Sean McSweeney blazed over from the second phase of the attack.

At the other end, Coleman also nearly grabbed his second of the game as he hit the crossbar with another header following a late run into the box.

With just over ten minutes remaining, the winner arrived and it was a first goal for Treaty for Matt Keane who was the quickest to react to a Matt McKevitt knock down in the box to beat goalkeeper Mark McNulty from close range.

Treaty United: Tadgh Ryan, Jack Lynch, Sean Guerins, Anthony O’Donnell, Marc Ludden, Clyde O’Connell, Mark Walsh, Sean McSweeney, Matt Keane, Ed McCarthy, Kieran Hanlon (Matt McKevitt)

Cork City: Mark McNulty, Uniss Kargbo, Jonas Haikkinen, Ronan Hurley, Dale Holland (Cian Bargary), Alec Byrne, Cian Coleman, Daire Crowley, Dylan McGlade, Beinion O’Brien-Whitmarsh