Doyle has the perfect send-off as Cork add to lead

SOCCER/Cork City - 2 Finn Harps - 0: Twenty-one-year old centre forward Kevin Doyle brought his career with Cork City to a spectacular close with two goals against Finn Harps in the Eircom League Premier Division tie at Turner's Cross last night.

Doyle was given a standing ovation by an estimated 5,000 fans at the full-time whistle when he walked into the centre circle to wave goodbye prior to his departure to English Championship side Reading.

Before he left he contributed generously to the entertainment in the 68 minutes of action he saw against a luckless Finn Harps.

Harps faced an impossible task from the 10th minute of the game when they were reduced in numbers as their centre back Shane Bradley was shown the red card.

He was guilty of pulling down Doyle as the centre forward ran clear of the defence and, as the last defender, he left the referee with little other option but to dismiss him.

Even at that stage Doyle had done enough to show how dangerous a striker he is capable of being and there is no doubt that Cork will find it difficult to be as effective a side without him.

He leaves the club in a healthy position, however, for their win helped them into a four-point lead at the top of the Premier Division.

The opening goal came after 30 minutes of Cork superiority. Full back Neal Horgan released George O'Callaghan with a clever pass into the penalty area and O'Callaghan, when he might have scored himself, deceived the defence by turning the ball across the penalty area for Doyle to finish.

The second goal came just before the half-time whistle. A corner from the right wing from O'Callaghan fell to Doyle's feet near the penalty area and, after failing to control the ball at his first attempt, the striker then spun quickly to fire a left-footed shot in the Harps net.

CORK CITY: Devine, Horgan, Bennett, Murray, Woods, O'Donovan, O'Brien, O'Callaghan, Gamble, Doyle, Fenn. Subs: O'Flynn for Doyle (68 mins), O'Halloran for Fenn (75 mins).

FINN HARPS: Cullen, McGowan, Boyle, Bradley, Asokuh, Capper, Funston, Gorman, McGavigan, McHugh, Breen. Subs: Crossan for Breen (37 mins), Cowan for McGavigan (83 mins), Seydak for Funston (83 mins).

Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).