Sean Maguire penalty miss costs Cork City dearly

Sligo Rovers 0 Cork City 0: Sligo Rovers remain rooted to the bottom of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division table after Saturday’s scoreless draw at the Showgrounds. Dave Robertson’s side put in a brave, battling performance but a first win of the season still eludes the Reds.

Robertson said: “Nobody gave us a hope against Cork City but a solid defensive display earned us a point. Sometimes you have to grind out a win, football wasn’t free flowing but it was the reaction I expected from us after the Bray defeat.”

Cork City came to the north west hoping to close the gap on the league’s front runners but they failed to sparkle on the night. John Caulfield’s side missed a glorious opportunity to take the points when Sean Maguire’s 55th-minute penalty was saved by Micheál Schlingermann. Sligo started well and it took a fine save by Mark McNulty in the visitors’ goal to keep out a Jaanai Gordon effort in the 12th minute.

The Cork netminder did well to get his hand to a looping effort from Kieran Sadlier three minutes into the second half. Liam Martin went close for the home side on 76 minutes and Cork substitute Garry Buckley missed a great chance following clever play by the industrious Karl Sheppard in stoppage time.

The woodwork came to Cork’s rescue on two occasions in the second half as the Reds went in search of a goal that might have given Robertson’s side their first win of the campaign.

A disappointed Caulfield said: “We overplayed the ball at times. The game could have gone either way and tonight’s match will benefit Sligo who should go on to get results.”

SLIGO ROVERS:

Schlingermann; Adebayo-Rowling, Leahy, Boylan, Donelon; Martin, Keohane, Roddan, Richards (Russell h-t), Sadlier; Gordon (Lyons 60).

CORK CITY:

McNulty; Dunleavy, Browne, O’Connell, O’Connor; Morrisey, Healy (Buckley 54), Dooley; Beattie (Turner 78), Sheppard; Maguire (O’Sullivan 83).

Referee:

Robert Harvey.