Doyle dynamic for City

Bohemians 2 Cork City 3

This victory means City leap-frog Bohs in the table, and deepens the crisis for the Phibsboro club.

It has become tradition in recent years that when these clubs meet, they serve up a cracker and this tradition was upheld in Dalymount last night. This was a fine game of football, an antidote to the physicality and set-piece soccer that so often characterises games in this league.

And it is also another step in the right direction for Pat Dolan's side. There was no sign of their patchy start to the season here, Kevin Doyle once again exhibiting why he has become such a fixture in Don Givens' Under-21 squads.

Doyle scored his fourth goal of the season with customary calm and composure. It put a shine on a fine display by the Waterford man, a reminder of why he was in the Irish Under-20 World Cup squad in the UAE last year. A hopeful pass forward by Danny Murphy was seized upon by Doyle, who trapped it beautifully before dinking the ball past both defender and goalie.

Most of the excitement in the last 10 minutes, with supporters gesturing to each other, was not confined to the stands, though. After an irate Robby Doyle was red-carded for a second booking in the 79th minute, Bohs played like they suddenly had purpose.

Doyle has withdrew his transfer request, but in the 21 minutes on the pitch, he did little that showed he was committed to turning Bohs' season around. Two bookings, an angry exchange with the referee and a finger to the City supporters as he jogged down the tunnel, was the sum total of Doyle's evening's work. His Leeside name-sake was a different matter. Although Glen Crowe displayed some delicate touches to try and get his side back into the game, Kevin Doyle was the best player on the pitch. He chased everything, toiled tirelessly and there wasn't a more deserving player to open the scoring.

There was a touch of fortune about City's second goal, Nwankwo's shot was weak and mis-hit. As the ball bounced around the Bohs penalty area it somehow landed at the feet of George O'Callaghan, whose touch beat Kelly. The joy of the City players was obvious, with O'Callaghan racing to hug his manager on the touchline. They almost celebrated a little too much as Bobby Ryan took a swift kick-off-the City team still congratulating O'Callaghan. The quick-thinking came to nothing, as did so much of what Bohemians did.

This was due in no small measure to the City defence, who until the bizarre final 10 minutes, gave their most settled performance of the season. When Simon Webb's free-kick skimmed the top of the net in the 71st minute, it looked like it was not going to be the home side's night. And then, they were hit on the break. Fenn, who grew in confidence as the second half progress, was in the right place to pick up a sweet lay-off from O'Callaghan. Two minutes before, Fenn had tried to lob Kelly from 40 yards, that effort a tad outlandish. He made no mistake this time, piercing the back of the net with a superb shot. Two minutes later, Doyle left the pitch to rub salt in a fresh Bohs wound. That is what woke the team up.

Three minutes later, Dan Bennett was adjudged to have handled. Kevin Hunt coolly slotted the penalty home. Eight minutes later, Crowe's persistence paid off, as Mick Devine fouled him in the area. Again, the skipper stepped up. Again he scored. But it was too little, too late.

CORK CITY: Devine; Murphy, Bennett, Murray, Jordan; O'Brien, Fenn, Woods, Nwankwo; O'Callaghan, Doyle.

BOHS: Kelly; Lynch, Hawkins(Harkin 37), McNally (Keddy 78), Webb; Hunt, Caffrey, Ryan, Ward; Grant (Doyle 55 mins), Crowe.

REF: P Whelan (Dublin).