Cork City held to controversial draw by Sligo Rovers

City were denied at least two penalties from O’Shea, with further decisions going against them on the night.

7 March 2025; Cork City players celebrate a goal that was subsequently dissallowed. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Premier Division: Cork City 1 (Nelson 62’) Sligo Rovers 1 (Elding 25’)

Cork City were left enraged by a disallowed goal and a series of rejected penalty appeals although Kitt Nelson’s equaliser maintained their unbeaten home record against 10-man Sligo Rovers.

The four controversial incidents came either side of half-time as Ruairí Keating had a cross and a shot handled in the box, including one saved by John Mahon, who stretched out his hand as he lay on the ground.

There was also a goal disallowed by Eoghan O’Shea for Charlie Lyons impeding teenage keeper Conor Walsh and Rio Shipston being awarded a free-kick rather than a penalty.

In an incident-packed match, Owen Elding, the son of former Rovers and City player Anthony, marked his 19th birthday with an early goal which Preston North End loanee Nelson cancelled out on his first home start.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when substitute Conor Reynolds saw red within seconds of his 67th-minute introduction for a dangerous tackle.

A crowd of 3,543 were in attendance as some rows of Shed End seating and a block of the Derrynane Road were closed to repair damage sustained during last Friday’s victory over Bohemians.

Monday’s Munster Derby defeat had inflicted further harm to the City squad. Their two best performers so far this season, Seani Maguire and Greg Bolger, suffered injuries, while Freddie Anderson and manager Tim Clancy were sent off.

Milan Mbeng made his full debut at centre-back as Shipston and Seán Murray were recalled into midfield in a reconfigured 4-2-3-1 formation. Jamie Hamill took over the managerial duties.

They started the brighter against a Sligo side buoyed by picking up their first points of the season in a 2-1 victory over Shamrock Rovers but both sides struggled to test the opposition keeper.

City had their first penalty shout when Keating did well to escape through the middle but he offered no complaints after losing the ball in a clash with Reece Hutchinson. Stronger claims would follow after Sligo opened the scoring.

The 25th-minute breakthrough came after good work in the centre by Matty Wolfe to supply Lintott in an acre of space out wide. His cross found Elding between the centre-halves and the birthday boy guided an outstanding header into the far top corner.

City captain Lyons was involved in a couple of opportunities for a speedy equaliser. He headed down for Keating, who got under his shot, before sending an overhead kick over after fluffing the initial opening.

The controversy began when Shipston was chopped down by Connor Malley but O’Shea decided to award a free-kick. Replays appeared to show the contact was just inside the box.

Then, Mbeng’s looping cross wasn’t cleared by Ollie Denham and the ball was bundled into the net only for O’Shea to give a free out against Lyons for impeding Walsh.

After half-time, Keating’s cross came off of Hutchinson’s hand as the full-back moved it back towards his body. All three decisions could’ve conceivably gone the other way.

The fourth was most blatant of all. After Murray had a shot blocked, Keating’s rebound was saved by centre-back Mahon, who stretched out his hand as he lay on the ground.

In between, a Lyons header forced Walsh into his first save.

The keeper was beaten just after the hour mark after fine work by Dijksteel. He laid off for Alex Nolan, whose deflected pass fell for Nelson, and the loanee’s shot ricocheted off Mahon into the net.

City fans had cause to cheer O’Shea’s next decision as Reynolds saw red for a challenge which left Dijksteel limping back to the dugout.

Unlike Waterford on Monday, City couldn’t turn one point into three with the extra man. Their best chances came in stoppage time when Walsh beat away Nolan and Josh Fitzpatrick’s shots before tuning Mbeng’s piledriver around the post.

CORK CITY: Tein Troost; Darragh Crowley, Milan Mbeng, Charlie Lyons, Benny Couto; Rio Shipston, Seán Murray; Alex Nolan, Kitt Nelson (Harvey Skieters 80), Malik Dijksteel (Josh Fitzpatrick 71); Ruairí Keating.

SLIGO ROVERS: Conor Walsh; Harvey Lintott (Conor Reynolds 67), Ollie Denham, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Matty Wolfe (Ronan Manning 67), Connor Malley; Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki (Stephen Mallon 78), Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 46) (Gareth McElroy 90+1).

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea.