Holt header fires Derry past Cork City and into second

Kevin Holt of Derry City celebrates scoring the winner. Pic: Morgan Tracey/Inpho

Premier Division: Cork City 1 (Daniels 62) Derry City 2 (L Boyce 24, Holt 78)

Kevin Holt’s first League of Ireland goal fired Derry City up to second in the Premier Division table with an away win at Cork City.

The Dundee United recruit headed home in the 78th minute to provide Tiarnan Lynch’s in-form side a fifth win in six games.

Liam Boyce had given them the lead in a dominant first half before Djenairo Daniels brought the hosts level after the hour.

Derry have proved the Leesiders’ bogey team as their winless streak extended to 14 games in this fixture. Since 2018, they have recorded just two draws and 12 losses against the Candystripes. 

This defeat leaves Cork City detached in ninth place.

Roy Keane was in attendance for the second consecutive week at Turner’s Cross. The Manchester United legend spent his pre-match signing autographs for a crowd of kids among the 2,736 fans.

Tim Clancy welcomed Seani Maguire, Greg Bolger, and Milan Mbeng back from injury. Only Mbeng was fit enough to start as the manager switched to a 5-3-2 formation.

Meanwhile, Lynch made three changes to his winning side. Boyce, Gavin Whyte, and Sam Todd were introduced for Danny Mullen, Paul McMullan, and Shane Ferguson.

Todd and Boyce combined to give the hosts a major scare inside three minutes. Northern Ireland international Boyce rose highest to meet the cross but hit the post. His follow-up effort skewed wide.

Derry continued that dominance and broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. It came from a misjudgement by Cork keeper Tein Troost. 

The NAC Breda loanee came charging out to chase a Hayden Cann pass he had no hope of winning. 

Gavin Whyte got there first and lobbed the stranded shot-stopper. It left Boyce with the simplest of headers into an empty net for his fourth of the season.

Cork’s search for their first clean sheet of the season will extend into a 16th game.

Derry’s aerial threat continued from a Michael Duffy corner; their seventh of the half. Todd sent it towards the far corner, but Daniels got in the way to block.

For followers of xG, Cork only clocked up 0.05 expected goals in the first half. The half-time introduction of Kitt Nelson saw them switch to 4-3-3 in a bid to change that statistic.

Derry’s next corner ended up with the ball in the net. Ronan Boyce headed back across for Liam Boyce to bundle in, but the linesman chalked off the goal for offside.

Troost then came up with a vital save from Whyte as Duffy lurked for a far-post tap-in.

In a repeat of the Shamrock Rovers draw, the longer Cork held out, the more they grew into the game.

In the 61st minute, Crystal Palace-linked Cathal O’Sullivan stole possession to register Cork’s first shot on target. Brian Maher beat it away to safety.

Djenairo Daniels of Cork City scores his side's first goal despite the attention of Kevin Holt of Derry City. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Within a minute, Cork were level. A quick throw-in sent O'Sullivan down the line, and his pull-back was finished to the net by Daniels. It marked a third goal in two games for the emergency signing. Worryingly, he pulled up injured soon after.

Duffy curled a free-kick around the wall, which had Troost at full stretch to tip around the post.

In the 78th minute, the visitors were back ahead. Harvey Skieters had a penalty appeal turned down at one end before Derry forced a corner at the other. Duffy’s delivery found Holt for a bullet header to the net.

After a lengthy injury to Adam O’Reilly, referee Declan Toland decided on 10 added minutes, but Cork couldn’t find a leveller.

CORK CITY: Troost; Nevin, Mbeng, Anderson (Nelson 46), Lyons, Kiernan (Maguire 90+1); S Murray, Crowley (Bolger 67), McLaughlin (Shipston 67); O’Sullivan, Daniels (Skieters 70).

DERRY CITY: Maher; Cann, Connolly, Holt; R Boyce (Benson 53), O’Reilly, Winchester (Harkin 83), Todd; Whyte (McMullan 64), Duffy; L Boyce (Mullen 64).

Referee: D Toland (Westmeath).