Cork City fall to third defeat in-a-row as Shelbourne climb to fourth
GAME-CLINCHER: Jack Moylan of Shelbourne shoots to score his side's second goal. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
 A five-match unbeaten run elevated Shelbourne to their highest place under Damien Duff of fourth but a third straight defeat for City leaves them stuck in the abyss of the relegation playoff berth.
Once the Rebel Army were unable to make their first-half supremacy count, Matty Smith made them pay by lashing the Reds into the lead straight after the restart with his third goal in four games.
Sloppy play in pursuit of an equaliser gifted Jack Moylan a second for the Reds with eight minutes left and a late reply from substitute Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh proved to be academic.
Of Colin Healy’s three changes to the side beaten comprehensively at home to Derry City last Friday, Daniel Moynihan was the noteworthy inclusion.
City’s manager didn’t hide his annoyance at the concession of Michael Duffy’s strike and Jimmy Corcoran was the casualty, losing his place between the sticks for the first time this season.
Any assumption that Aaron Mannix would step up as first-choice goalkeeper was dispelled when the teamsheet showed his Under-19 squad rival Moynihan handed his league debut.
The 18-year-old’s only previous experience was replacing Mannix in last month’s Munster Senior League tie against Waterford but saving a penalty, that was converted when retaken, planted a seed in Healy’s mind when it came to contingencies.
Bar one scrambled clearance with his fist, there was no sign of nerves from the newcomer.
His limited workload was helped by the struggles of Shels in a first half that City dominated on the chances front.
Just 90 seconds were on the clock when Ruairi Keating seized upon a loose pass by defender Paddy Barrett to charge into the box and his rising angled shot across goal was palmed away by Conor Kearns for a corner.
The goalkeeper Duff rates as having no equals in the league was drawn into a personal duel with Keating over the opening 45 minutes.
Twice approaching the break, he prevented City’s top scorer adding to the five goals he racked up in the opening seven matches.
A textbook glancing header from Darragh Crowley’s right-wing cross forced Kearns to stoop low for a one-handed save, which he got up from to block Ally Gilchrist’s rebound.
Keating himself then tunnelled from the right flank, skinning Kameron Ledwidge with his pace, before flashing a left-footer that the stopper tipped over.
All Moynihan was called upon to repel was Smith’s drilled shot on the run and he needn’t have, for it was sailing wide – even if the referee Ray Matthews failed to award a Shels corner.
Duff must have read the riot act within the dressing-room’s four walls as Shels were a different proposition in the second half. Specifically, they needed a mere 65 seconds to grab the lead.
Smith availed of a ricochet to drift into the box from the left and though Cian Coleman appeared to handle the ball when he slid in to intercept, the striker didn’t await a whistle and drove his shot into the far top corner.
City soon had a penalty claim rejected when Keating was bundled over by David Toure while the hosts were baying for a red card after Moylan was upended by the advancing Moynihan on the edge of the box. Only a yellow was issued.
Shels captain Luke Byrne was also lucky not to be penalised when flooring Ethon Varian inside the box with 10 minutes remaining but an uncharacteristic error by Aaron Bolger, ceding possession on the halfway line, enabled Moylan to sprint 40 yards and tuck his low shot beyond the rookie custodian.
It seemed curtains for the Leesiders, yet neat interplay between subs Cian Murphy and O’Brien-Whitmarsh allowed the latter a sight on goal he capitalised on by smashing his shot inside the near post of Kearns but that that would be the totality of their response.
Much more is required from Cork for the fear of the drop to be averted and they're in Dublin on Monday to face table-toppers Bohemians.
C Kearns; P Barrett, L Byrne, K Ledwidge; D Toure (JR Wilson 57), E Caffrey, JJ Lunney, T Wilson; J Hakiki (B McManus 78), J Moylan (K Robinson 85); M Smith.
D Moynihan; C Coleman, A Gilchrist, J Honohan; D Crowley, M Healy (J O’Brien Whitmarsh 78), A Bolger, B Coffey, E Varian; T Owolabi (C Murphy 64), R Keating.
Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
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