Cork make a point

AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION:

Despite the fact that Derry City dominated the second half, the Leesiders had a hero in keeper Mark McNulty, who managed to keep the Candy Stripes at bay with a string to top-drawer stops.

However, while they clearly struggled to contain the home side after the break, Cork had the audacity to break the deadlock with seven minutes remaining.

Darryl Horgan’s strike which may compete for the goal of the season, his dipping shot from 25 yards out on the right flank dipping over Gerard Doherty’s head and into the net.

If that was the best Cork had to offer, the Brandywell attendance then witnessed the worst when the visitors pressed the self-destruct just button two minutes later.

With Derry surging forward, John Dunleavy’s tame back pass was intercepted by Rory Patterson and he gleefully drove the ball home past McNulty.

Following a disappointing first half, Cork boss Dunne will have been much the happier at the break.

However, the Dubliner will not have been happy with his side’s poor efforts when awarded dangerous free-kicks in threatening position, those rare opportunities recklessly wasted.

While Danny Morrissey did have the ball in the Derry net in the 20th minute, referee, Tomas Connolly ruled the score out due to a foul on Doherty.

Shane Duggan was booked by referee for an alleged dive inside the area in the 26th minute, while Gearóid Morrissey also earned a yellow card for a late tackle on Derry’s Simon Madden.

Cork frustrated Derry with their 4-2-3-1 formation, the home side’s only noteworthy chance in the opening half falling to Patrick McEleney who dragged a low shot wide in the 42nd minute.

The home side upped the ante after the break and in the 54th minute McEleney’s superb effort from 30 yards whizzed agonisingly wide with McNulty beaten.

Derry went close against when McEleney’s older brother Shane glanced a header wide of the post following a corner in the 62nd minute.

Mark McNulty saved Cork’s bacon in the 68th minute when he produced a top drawer save to deny Patterson after Patrick McEleney put him through into a one-on-one situation.

In the 71st minute, Duffy put Patterson in again but he was denied by a last-ditch tackle, while Shane McEleney had a shot saved by McNulty.

Cork continued to defend deep as a Patterson free was parried by McNulty before Duffy hammered the rebound back into the keeper’s chest.

Then came those dramatic seven minutes when Cork pounced, and while they did not deserve to win the match, neither did Derry deserve to lose it, given their second half domination.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Madden, McBride (Rafter, 79), S. McEleney, McCaffrey (Duffy, h/t); Higgins, Molloy; P. McEleney, Deery, McNamee; Patterson.

CORK CITY: McNulty; N. Horgan, Buckley, Dennehy, Murphy; D. Horgan, Healy, Duggan, Dunleavy, G. Morrissey; D. Morrissey.

Referee: T. Connolly (Dublin).