Long-range Boyce strike sinks Cork City

Full-back Ronan Boyce scored the only goal of the game at a drenched Turner's Cross.

WONDERSTRIKE: Ronan Boyce of Derry City, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Cork City and Derry City at Turner's Cross in Cork. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Cork City 0

Derry City 1

Turner’s Cross

A screamer from Ronan Boyce was a fitting winner to clinch European football for Derry City and leave Cork City staring into a relegation play-off.

The right-back exchanged a quick one-two with Cameron Dummigan and unleashed an unstoppable shot from outside the box into the far-top corner in the 78th minute.

A fourth clean sheet on the spin completes a clean sweep of four league wins over Cork this season and guarantees a Europa Conference League qualification spot for next year. The loss all but condemns Cork to the relegation play-off as they lie six points behind Sligo Rovers with two games to go and a goal-difference deficit of 12 to make up.

Cork controlled the opening half with some good passing despite the soaked conditions. They had two goals disallowed and restricted Derry to one shot, with Brooks acrobatically saving a Will Patching free.

Ruairí Keating entered the game in a three-way tie at the top of the golden-boot standings and had the ball in the Derry net in the 34th minute. Damien Mac Graith’s whistle had already sounded, however, as Cian Bargary hadn’t kept the ball in play before his pull-back.

They had another goal disallowed on the stroke of half time for a Keating foul on Cameron McJannet before Barry Coffey turned it home.

Derry gave a statement of intent on the restart with Duffy’s volley cannoning off the post within a minute from a Paul McMullan cross. Adam O’Reilly couldn’t turn the rebound on target but forced Brooks into a save moments later.

Jordan McEneff’s initial shot was blocked by Cian Coleman but Boyce was quickest to the clearance and produced a moment of sheer class.

Danny Mullen should’ve made it safe when in one-on-one, but his miss left it open for some stoppage-time drama.

Tunde Owolabi slipped through the defence but Boyce raced across to make the block. From the corner, Owolabi rose highest but Brian Maher tipped over. The final chance ran to Gordon Walker, but his curled effort was headed away to safety.

CORK CITY: T Brooks; K Custovic (G Walker, 69), C Coleman (T Owolabi, 84), J Hakkinen, J Honohan; A Bolger, A Kravchuk; C Bargary (J Kabia, 69), B Coffey (M Dijksteel, 61), B Worman (C Murphy, 69); R Keating.

DERRY CITY: B Maher; R Boyce, M Connolly (S Todd, 76), C McJannet, B Doherty; A O’Reilly (D Mullen, 72), C Dummigan; P McMullan (P McEleney, 72), W Patching, B Kavanagh (J McEneff, 72); M Duffy (C Coll, 92).

Referee: D Mac Graith.