LET'S JOE

Shels all business in first match under O'Brien

- BY MARK McCADDEN

THE Joey O'Brien era got off to a flyer last night, two goals inside the opening six minutes setting them on course for victory over a sluggish Cork City.

But the Reds will have to be more clinical next week when they kick off their Champions League campaign against Linfield.

They should have punished a terrible defensive display by their visitors with more than the three they scored.

City captain Charlie Lyons’ night went from bad to worse when he gifted Shels their opener after just 80 seconds and was then sent off five minutes into the second half.

The decision by Robert Harvey to take out his red card seemed harsh but it later emerged that he upgraded a yellow on account of something that was said.

Cork had goalkeeper Conor Brann, stepping in for departed Dutchman Tein Troost, to thank in part for Shels’ failure to register a more comprehensive win. Poor finishing had a role to play in that too.