North keeps Sligo in pole position

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION Cork City 0 Sligo Rovers 1:A SEVENTH league goal of the season from striker Danny North ensured Sligo Rovers remained top of the Premier Division as they overcame Cork City at Turner's Cross last night.

With just over 11 minutes left in what was a fairly even contest, Ross Gaynor’s cross from the left was not dealt adequately with by the Cork defence and while North had trouble initially controlling the ball, he managed to lift it over the dive of goalkeeper Mark McNulty at the second attempt to score.

This win, coupled with Shamrock Rovers’ 2-2 draw with Bray Wanderers, means Sligo now lead the table by three points, with their unbeaten run still intact.

They will know, however, that had Cork been sharper in front of goal, the game could have gone the way of the hosts.

The first half could be divided into two distinct parts, Sligo dominating early on while the hosts, once they got to grips with the game, created a lot of chances in the 15 minutes or so before half-time.

With Joseph Ndo dictating matters from the middle of midfield, Sligo began in positive fashion but while they enjoyed good territory and a majority of possession, they failed to sufficiently work Cork goalkeeper McNulty.

Their best chances both fell to North but he was off-target with a header from an Ndo free before firing wide just before the half-hour.

Cork had laboured, but all of a sudden they began to create, a lovely Shane Duggan ball finding Vinny Sullivan only for Danny Ventre to recover, before Sullivan flicked on for Davin O’Neill, who hit the post.

Then former Sligo Rovers man Daryl Horgan had a shot tipped over by goalkeeper Gary Rogers, but at half-time it remained goalless and chances were few and far between in the early stages of the second half.

Sligo’s Lee Lynch shot over just after the hour mark before having a low piledriver blocked by Colin Healy, who was playing at right-back instead of Gavin Kavanagh in Cork’s only change from last week’s first win over Monaghan United.

Then, after Gaynor had crossed the ball back into the danger area, centre forward Mark Quigley’s close-range header was somehow saved by McNulty.

In keeping with the balanced nature of the game, Cork then had a couple of chances, with dangerman Horgan heavily involved in both.

First, he mishit a good cross by substitute Ian Turner, and then, in the 73rd minute, after a good run, his low cross almost found O’Neill but Sligo goalkeeper Gary Rogers bravely saved.

Cork brought on attacker Tadhg Purcell for Sullivan as they searched for a goal, while Sligo introduced new signing Pascal Millien wide on the right.

However, ultimately, it was the visitors who had the extra gear to hod on to their victory.

CORK CITY:McNulty; Healy, D Murray, Spillane, D Murphy; G Morrissey, Dunleavy (Turner 50), Duggan, D Horgan; O'Neill, Sullivan (Purcell 76).

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers; Keane, Peers, Ventre, Davoren; Boco (Millien 74), Ndo, Lynch, Gaynor; North (Cawley 88), Quigley (Cretaro 82).

Referee: N Doyle.