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Cork hit top gear to demolish Bray

Saturday 30th September 2006, 1:04 am

Roy O'Donovan (centre) helped himself to a hat-trick against Bray.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Cork City breathed some life into their flagging hopes of retaining the eircom League title and sent new Bray manager Eddie Gormley back to the drawing board at Turner's Cross on Friday. Cork ran out 6-0 winners moving up to second in the process and pushing Bray back down to the bottom.

Roy O'Donovan got the ball rolling after just seven minutes, the first of a hat-trick as he revelled in the role of striker. The first arrived thanks to some good build-up play from Admir Softic and Joe Gamble before O'Donovan rounded goalkeeper Gary Rogers to slot in.

It was 2-0 before the clock hit double figures. Cork captain Dan Murray struck on nine minutes, heading powerfully past Rogers from Neale Fenn's deep cross.

Another great Cork move just before the half hour saw Cork make it 3-0. After a flowing passing piece of play, Billy Woods fired home and Bray were already set for a return to the bottom of the table.

If it hadn't been settled already, then Murray's second of the game just before half-time meant there was only going to be one winner at the Cross. After combining well with O'Donovan, Murray slotted home.

O'Donovan got his second of the night five minutes into the second period as he slotted past Rogers and completed his hat-trick and the rout on sixty-six minutes as he ran in on Danny Murphy's through ball.

Bray missed a couple of chances to gain some small consolation and they face a huge battle to avoid finishing bottom of the Premier Division.

Cork City : Devine, Horgan, Bennett, Murray, Murphy, O'Brien (Behan 69), Softic, Gamble, Woods (B O'Callaghan 69), Fenn, O'Donovan (Sullivan 78).
Bray Wanderers : Rogers, Ivory, Tresson, Deans, Ryan (Roche 53), Georgescu (Cousins 87), Caffrey, O'Reilly, Tyrell, O'Shea (O'Brien 63), Fox.