Dunne so frustrated as Shels’ fight back stuns City

Shelbourne 3 Cork City 2

Adding insult to injury, their 2-3 defeat now leaves their hopes of securing a Setanta Cup spot in doubt.

Vinny Sullivan and Kevin Murray gave City a 2-0 lead at the break but, with Shels a transformed side in the second half, City looked stagnant, to the dismay of manager Tommy Dunne. “We two good goals and looked comfortable but it’s about the full 90 minutes. In the second half we didn’t start well, and that has cost us the match.”

Sullivan opened the scoring on 26 minutes with a thunderous finish following Gavin Kavanagh’s cross before Murray doubled City’s advantage on 41 minutes.

Yet Shelbourne were a different proposition on the restart, Dave Cassidy finishing neatly into the top corner in the 53rd minute before Philly Hughes levelled the game with a well-struck penalty soon after the hour despite protests from the City defence. There was no objection to Conan Byrne’s winner however, as Mark McNulty’s short kick-out saw John Dunleavy concede an unnecessary free-kick with Byrne curling home a sumptuous effort from 25 yards on 73 minutes.

Chris Bennion saved Gearóid Morrissey’s late effort and Shels held on to record a first league victory at home since the beginning of July.

Elsewhere, cup finalists Derry City had an emphatic 3-1 win over Shamrock Rovers with goals from Stephen McLaughlin, Rory Patterson and Barry McNamee. Rovers’ consolation came in injury time through Tommy Stewart. Bob McKenna’s 84th minute effort earned a point for basement side Dundalk at home to Bohs. Stephen Maher gave the Lilywhites a first-half lead, only for Evan McMillan and Dinny Corcoran to score for Aaron Callaghan’s visitors. David McMillan, meanwhile, gave UCD a 1-0 home win over Drogheda United.

SHELBOURNE: Bennion; Shortall, Boyle, Paisely, Fitzgerald; Byrne, Cronin, Dawson, Cassidy, Kavanagh; Hughes (Gorman 89).

CORK CITY: McNulty; Kavanagh, K Murray, Spillane (D Murray 64), Murphy; Turner, Healy (Morrissey 76), Duggan, Dunleavy (O’Neill 81), D Horgan; Sullivan.

Referee: Rob Rogers.