Last ditch Cork preserve unbeaten home record

CORK City produced a magnificent comeback to protect their admirable unbeaten home record at Turner’s Cross and deny Shamrock Rovers last night.

They scored 60 seconds before 90 minutes had elapsed to climax their efforts to overhaul a capable Shamrock Rovers who led following a goal by Noel Hunt in the 56th minuter.

The equalising goal was no more than Cork deserved on a night when both teams deserved some reward from a game full vigour.

The draw meant that both teams still retain hopes of clinching a place in European competition next season with Cork facing an opportunity of taking a vital edge when they play their postponed match against Longford Town on Monday.

Yet Cork left it very late as Rovers’ young team played attractive and effective football to go as close as any opposition this season to spoiling Cork’s record.

With Hunt, who is set to move to Dunfermline at the end of the season after a 235,000 transfer agreement, showing his finishing skill to give them a vital lead, Cork had to fight furiously to recover lost ground.

They were compromised totally in that opening half by their inability to pass the ball accurately and were extremely wasteful of possession.

It was significant, however, that their best scoring opportunity in the 40th minute should have come from a long clearance by Greg O’Halloran.

George O’Callaghan controlled the ball beautifully as he ran clear and his clever lob found goalkeeper Tony O’Dowd off his line. But O’Dowd showed great athleticism as he reached behind to touch the ball over the bar. Rovers’ patient build-up paid off with a superbly taken goal after 56 minutes. Shane Robinson on the right wing played the ball to the edge of the six yard box where Noel Hunt controlled it expertly before turning and shooting in one movement across Devine and into the net.

Cork responded in typically spirited fashion. Manager Liam Murphy juggled his forces with 20 minutes left to play and they were close to an equaliser when David Warren struck a left-foot shot from 22 yards that keeper O’Dowd touched over Substitute Colin P O’Brien shot over from a good position after being set up by O’Callaghan on 71 minutes, substitute Alan Bennett heeled one into O’Dowd’s hands after another good cross by O’Callaghan and O’Flynn drove into the side-netting. However, Cork would not be denied and their magnificent fight-back was in keeping with their total conviction in all of their home matches this season. They never faltered in a typically courageous performance that banished all thoughts of cold as the gave moved to its climactic finish.

Cork’s delighted fans rose to salute the formidable effort that was once again produced as they forced a corner on the left in the 89th minute.

Woods floated the ball deep into the penalty area where O’Dowd succeeded in punching it clear to the edge of the box. Alan Reynolds left-foot shot was firmly struck but O’Dowd parried the ball once again only to be left helpless as Dan Murray drove home the equaliser.

It was a remarkable finish to a game that failed to reach the stellar heights of many of Cork’s memorable performances at home this season but maintained their proud record of never having lost at the ground in the league this season.

Cork City: (4-4-2): Devine; O’Halloran, Daly (Bennett 69), Murray, Horgan; Warren (C. T. O’Brien 78), Reynolds, O’Grady (C P O’Brien 69), Woods; O’Callaghan, O’Flynn.

Shamrock Rovers: (4-4-2): O’Dowd; Gough, McGuinness, Palmer, Keddy; Robinson, Colwell, Tracey, S Grant; Hunt (T Grant 86), Molloy.

Referee: J O’Neill (Waterford).