Birthday boy Murray pounces as City go top
Bohemians might change that when they travel to Shamrock Rovers this evening but, for one night at least, Cork put their off-field problems to one side and gave their loyal supporters something to sing about.
A re-jigged Cork defence, which had Robert Mezeckis back from injury and Danny Murphy missing through suspension, was almost caught napping in the second minute when goalkeeper Dan Connor had to put up a firm hand to deny Sammy Morrow.
Cork’s three-pronged attack responded on 11 minutes when Faz Kuduzovic cut in from the left and sent a dipping long-ranger just over the top. The striker came even closer three minutes later when his snap shot on the turn from outside the box whizzed just past the far post.
With eventual man-of-the-match Colin Healy and Joe Gamble beginning to dominate in midfield, the traffic was now nearly all one way, Pat Sullivan putting a series of threatening balls into the Derry box.
Yet in what was almost their first excursion into enemy territory since the opening five minutes, Derry looked certain to take the lead just short of the half-hour mark when Morrow’s chipped cross found Mark Farren unmarked directly in front of goal but, quickly adjusting his position, Dan Connor pulled off a magnificent one-handed save to keep out the Derry striker’s precise header.
Cork finally made a deserved breakthrough in the 39th minute. Healy, Cork’s set-piece specialist, curled a tempting free-kick into the box from the right and, when O’Halloran headed it down into the ground and back across the face of goal, skipper Dan Murray – on the eve of his 27th birthday – stopped to head home from virtually right on the goal line.
Eight minutes after the break, the Candystripes were struck a blow when Mark McChrystal, receiving a second yellow card for pulling back Colin Healy, was sent off by referee Declan Hanney.
Ironically, this setback for Derry threatened to work in their favour. The ten men from the north battled hard to make up the deficit in numbers while Cork, suddenly losing all momentum, seemed unsure whether to defend their lead or try to press home their advantage.
Instead, it was Derry who were finding space, dominating possession and doing most of the attacking, although it had to be said that Dan Connor remained largely untroubled until Eddie McCallion fired just wide of his post from distance with less than ten minutes left.
By the end, Cork were reduced to booting it long in the hope of finding lone frontman Denis Behan and home nerves were jangling even more when, as the game moved into four minutes of time added on, Stephen O’Donnell, belatedly making his home debut for the club, was shown a straight red.
And still there was a further twist in the tale when, almost right on the whistle, Derry sub James McLean thought he had salvaged a point for his side only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
It was close and it was nervy – but, at the end of it all, it was the Shed End who were celebrating, probably as much in relief as joy, as Cork City extended their unbeaten run to nine games and went to the top of the pile.
CORK CITY: Connor; Sullivan, Mezeckis (Kiely 51), Murray, O’Halloran; Lordan, Gamble, Healy; Silagailis (O’Donnell 75), Kuduzovic, Behan.
DERRY CITY: Doherty; McCallion, Hutton, McChrystal, Gray; Deery, Martyn, Molloy (McLean 74), Stewart; Morrow (McManus 45), Farren (Higgins 74).
Referee: Declan Hanney.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
