Derry draw wrecks City’s title chances

Cork City1 Derry City1

The result leaves the Dubliners with one hand on the eircom League Premier Division title after Cork needed an injury-time penalty from Kevin Doyle to rescue a point they scarcely deserved.

Visiting goalkeeper David Forde was the villain as he brought down Doyle two minutes into additional time and then dived the wrong way as the Cork striker slotted home with a cool finish low to the keeper's left.

Shels are now six points clear of Cork with three games left and they could stretch that to nine by winning against Longford Town at Flancare Park tonight.

Derry's goal came from a former Cork player, Conor O'Grady, who is hardly renowned for being a prolific finisher, but he revealed a killer instinct with his well-taken goal six minutes into the second half. Ciaran Martyn's teasing cross caught out Cork full-back Neal Horgan, who allowed O'Grady in behind him to score with a low, left-foot shot.

Cork manager Pat Dolan introduced French midfielder Oswald Lopes for an out-of-sorts George O'Callaghan just after the hour and then made a double change.

Strikers Denis Behan and Neal Fenn were sprung from the bench with 12 minutes remaining but the alterations couldn't buck the trend and despite the promptings of Joe Gamble in the middle of the pitch he was Cork's best player by a distance Derry always appeared comfortable as their strong work ethic denied their opponents any clear-cut opportunities.

In a frantic finale Billy Woods had a shot headed off the line by Damien Brennan for a corner with just a minute of normal time remaining, before Doyle rescued a point.

In a first half best forgotten. Cork couldn't unlock a tight Derry defence which coped well with the enforced departure of the experienced Peter Hutton after 29 minutes with a nasty facial injury after an accidental collision.

Paddy McLaughlin replaced Hutton and slotted comfortably alongside Mark McChrystal in the heart of the visiting back four.

Cork were unable to make any headway down either flank as Liam Kearney struggled on the left, though Billy Woods looked more threatening on the opposite wing despite limited possession.

A hoofed clearance almost produced an opening goal on 22 minutes. Kearney was quickest to react but Forde advanced well outside his goalmouth to force the winger wide and his eventual crossed yielded a corner which came to nothing.

The visitors rarely threatened in the period, but finished the half strongly. Home net-minder Michael Devine, who had only conceded two goals in the previous eight games, needed attention after colliding with Ciaran Martyn six minutes from the interval, but continued almost immediately.

In the fifth and final minute of injury-time Martyn tested Devine for the first time with a low shot from the right, but the keeper dived smartly to his left to turn the ball around the post, and Cork fans wondered how their side could find a way through for that crucial goal.

Their wait took them to the final moments and how important could Doyle's equaliser be in Cork's search for a UEFA Cup place next season?

CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan, Bennett, Murray, captain, O'Halloran; Woods, Gamble, O'Callaghan, Kearney; Doyle, O'Flynn. Subs: Lopes for O'Callaghan 61, Behan for O'Flynn and Fenn for O'Halloran 78.

DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Hutton, McChrystal, Brennan; Martin, Doherty, O'Grady, Derry; Byrne, Murphy. Subs: McLaughlin for Hutton injured 29, Beckett for O'Grady 83.

Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).