Shels rescue point against Cork City after Keating opener
Ruairí Keating of Cork City celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against Shelbourne. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Results like this at the home of the champions are crucial for Cork City to avoid being dragged into another relegation battle.
Ruairi Keating’s opener three minutes into the second half drove the travelling support at the Ballybough end of Tolka Park delirious but one of Damien Duff’s interval substitutes Evan Caffrey smashed his volley in with 19 minutes left to grab a point.
Duff wasn’t quite sick as a parrot after illness ripped through the camp after dropping two points after three disappeared against Drogheda United last week but their pacey start to defending their crown has petered out into four winless outings.
Although City’s recruitment marked an improvement from their last promotion two years ago, a spate of injuries would always test their depth. Cathal O’Sullivan was the first casualty on the opening night, Seáni Maguire and Greg Bolger followed by not finishing the defeat in Waterford, and the latest to be sidelined was Malik Dijksteel.
Freddie Anderson was returning from suspension, chosen as the sole newcomer from last week’s 1-1 draw at home to Sligo Rovers. His restoration accommodated Clancy’s desire of switching to a back five, presumably to counteract Shelbourne’s front partnership.
Damien Duff has flagged the virus outbreak as a selection influencer and Mipo Odubeko being held in reserve reflected the impact. City’s central defensive trinity needed only be concerned about Seán Boyd operating alone in attack but were minded to track the runs of wingers Harry Wood and Ali Coote.
City’s threat was more diverse. After a mere three minutes, a free kick conceded by the host 20 yards out on the right allowed Benny Couto to float an inswinger into the danger area. Captain Charlie Lyon rose highest and quickest to connect but his header was acrobatically turned over by Conor Kearns.
Shels were fortunate to win a free of their own from similar range but central after Keating mistimed his tackle on Boyd. Shels were also slow in teeing up the set-piece, the layoff to Boyd allowing the wall to advance and block the effort.
Coote wasn’t entertaining any elaborate rehearsal for his attempt from the edge of the area on 19 minutes. This free cleared the wall, only to ripple the outside, rather than inside, of the net.
The Scot was then denied by goalkeeper Tein Coote with a shot on the run before City finished the half strongly.
Alex Nolan, deployed centrally alongside Keating, was sent clear by his strike partner but Kameron Ledwidge dashed back to smother the threat.
Similarly, the twinkle toes of Nolan produced a sight on goal that was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle.
Kitt Nelson forcing Kearns to dive low to his right for a save as the break approached underlined how the visitors were capable of rattling Shels and it told shortly after the restart.
When the champions half-cleared Seán Murray’s right-wing cross, Nelson laid the ball back into the path of Rio Shipston.
His 25-yarder deflected off Paddy Barrett’s head to unsettle Kearns, who could only get his legs on the shot. Keating’s poacher instinct kicked in to follow in the loose ball and he finished the rebound from an acute angle.
Duff had responded to a stodgy first-half by introducing Obubeko as part of a double change and his first action was to whistle a first-time shot past the post.
Kerr McInroy was also marginally off-target and referee Rob Harvey booking the City goalkeeper for time-wasting illustrated the pressure they were facing.
Darragh Crowley would become their rescuer, twice clearing off the line but it came either side of Evan Caffrey volleying in the equaliser. He was left unmarked on the right when the ball dropped perfectly to drill his shot into the far corner, assisted by a deft deflection from Couto.
Crowley’s heroics prevented firstly Boyd levelling and then substitute John Martin completing the turnaround.
Clancy, just back from a suspension, went into the book for his protestations at Harvey failing to award a free out when Troost spilled the ball from his grasp.
He might have been momentarily livid but by the end, inside at least, was justified in being content for accruing another point in the fifth game of a marathon 36-game season.
Moreover, considering the players he was without compared to Shels.
C Kearns; S Gannon, P Barrett, K Ledwidge, J Norris (R O’Kane 67); K McInroy, JJ Lunney (M Coyle 81); A Coote (J Martin 81), E Chapman (E Caffrey 46), H Wood (M Odubeko 46); S Boyd.
T Troost; D Crowley, F Anderson, C Lyons, B Couto; S Murray (A Healy 79), R Shipston, K Nelson (J Fitzpatrick 72); A Nolan (H Skieters 90+2), R Keating.
Rob Harvey (Dublin).
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