Garry Buckley keeps Cork City hot on Dundalk’s heels

Bohemians 0 Cork City 1

Garry Buckley's goal was enough to give Cork City all three points and keep them hot on the heels of leaders Dundalk at the top of the Premier Division table. Buckley netted two minutes into the second half at a wet Dalymount Park on a night that saw Bohs finish with 10 men after Mark Quigley saw red following a challenge on Karl Sheppard.

The game was played in driving rain and wind which made conditions extremely difficult for both teams though they somehow served up an entertaining game for the crowd of 1,092 that braved the elements.

Bohs started well and caused plenty of problems for their visitors but City began to come more into the game and on 22 minutes, following a foul on Gavin Holohan, Kevin O'Connor fired a free kick narrowly over the bar from 25 yards out.

Cork continued their good work and Sean Maguire had a shot blocked on the half hour before Steven Beattie shot inches wide on 34 minutes. Four minutes after that Bohs goalkeeper Dean Delany saved well from a rasping Greg Bolger shot at his near post.

City began the second half in blistering form and took the lead on 47 minutes when Buckley met Maguire’s cross and tapped the ball in at the far post.

Bohs boss Keith Long gave it 10 minutes but with no change in fortunes brought on Ayman Ben Mohamed for Kurtis Byrne up front on 57 minutes. Quigley and Ismahil Akinade soon followed as Bohs went all out for an equaliser.

But with 10 minutes to go Bohs’ task was made much harder when Quigley was shown a straight red card for a rough tackle on Sheppard. They couldn’t find that equaliser and are still chasing a first league goal and league victory since April 9th.

BOHEMIANS: Delaney; Pender, Prendergast, Mulcahy, Fitzgerald; K Buckley (Quigley, 63 mins), Lopes, Wearen, Kavanagh (Akinade, 70 mins); K Byrne (Ben Mohamed, 57 mins), Kelly.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Dunleavy, Bennett, Browne, O'Connor; Bolger; Beattie (Healy, 90+3 mins), G Buckley, Holohan (McSweeney, 89 mins), Sheppard; Maguire (O'Sullivan, 82 mins).

Referee: Robert Rogers (Dublin)

Derry City 2 Finn Harps 2

Derry City may have dropped to fourth in the table following this sensational north-west derby at the Brandywell, but at one stage they could so easily have lost this game.

Amazingly, the big crowd watched three goals scored during the final 10 minutes as the game ebbed and flowed.

And when substitute Nathan Boyle squandered a glorious opportunity to win the match in injury time, Derry heads dropped.

Having opted to shut up shop after Ryan Curran broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, the Donegal side sat deep throughout the second period, allowing Derry boss the ball but try as they did, visiting goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher was expected to emerge the hero before Derry struck late.

Another substitute Josh Daniels netted what was a thoroughly deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute when sweeping Nathan Boyle’s low cross to the net to force a nervous finish.

Amazingly, the home side then took the lead in the 88th minute when Daniels found Rory Patterson who produced a magnificent finish and Harps were in difficulty.

However, as the clock ticked down, the visitors refused to give up and they sensationally levelled matters in the 90th minute when Sean Houston rose well to head the ball home from Michael Funston’s cross to silence the attendance.

Boyle’s sensational miss, when he poked the ball wide when it appeared easier to score fashioned even more mixed emotions.

Derry clearly struggled to get to grips with the game from the outset, Harps forcing the issue without actually threatening the home goal.

And with the home side struggling to get their passing and movement going, the visitors took full advantage, scoring what appeared a very soft opening goal in the 20th minute.

Houston rolled the ball into the path of Dave Scully and after his shot crashed off the Derry crossbar, Ryan Curran was first to react and he enjoyed the benefit a free header to break the deadlock.

The goal finally stung the Candystripes into action and five minutes after the goal Barry McNamee wasted a glorious chance to level matters.

Patrick McClean floated a cross into the danger area when Patterson chested the ball into the path of the midfielder but his shot was parried by Gallagher before the danger was cleared.

In the 28th minute a superb pass by Keith Ward sent Patterson scampering into a one-on-one situation and while the Derry striker managed to dink the ball over the advancing Gallagher, he failed to hit the target and another superb chance was lost.

One minute before the break Gallagher did well again for the visitors when he dived low to block a Ronan Curtis low shot, the ball making its way through a forest of legs inside the penalty area.

Having netted that vital opening goal, Harps appeared happy to hold what they had, Derry bossing the ball throughout the second period.

The home side really should have equalised in the 58th minute. Conor McCormack played the winger in but in the one-on-one situation, Ward’s shot was blocked by the outstretched legs of the Harps goalkeeper.

Gallagher saved again in the 69th minute, a powerful drive from Curtis parried wide at the expense of a corner and Harps breathed another sigh of relief.

And as Derry continued to push forward, no one could have expected that late, late drama.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Vemmelund, McBride, Barry, McClean (Jarvis, h/t); McCormack, McEneff; Ward (Daniels, 77 mins), B. McNamee, Curtis (N Boyle, 77 mins); Patterson.

FINN HARPS: Gallagher; McNulty, Cowan, Mailey, Coll; Molloy; Curran, Houston, T McNamee (E Boyle, 74 mins); Hanlon; Scully.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin)

Galway United 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 3

St Patrick’s Athletic delivered a much improved performance to secure an encouraging win at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Liam Buckley’s side earned the full complement of spoils courtesy of goals from Sean Hoare, Billy Dennehy, and substitute Conan Byrne. It was cruel on Galway, who were aggrieved by a controversial decision as the interval loomed.

Having contributed richly to a lively opening period packed with decent chances Galway were rocked by the 40th minute dismissal of skipper John Sullivan. Referee Pádraig Sutton brandished a second yellow card to Sullivan following a challenge on Shane McEleney.

That was a significant blow for Galway, who subsequently conceded a goal on the stroke of half-time when the Saints ruthlessly punished a defensive lapse in concentration. Billy Dennehy’s corner was sharp and Hoare was able to make a firm headed connection to guide Pat’s ahead.

Six minutes after the restart Pat’s extended their advantage with Billy Dennehy’s clever free-kick rattling the Galway net. Pat’s midfielder Graham Kelly was subsequently sent off for a second yellow card for a 56th-minute foul on Marc Ludden.

In the 87th minute Ian Bermingham provided a nifty assist for willing replacement Byrne to decorate the Dubliners’ success.

GALWAY UNITED: Winn; Horgan, Aganovic, Walsh (Curran, 63), Ludden; Shanahan, Sullivan, Foley, Devaney (Melody, 79 mins); Keating (Cantwell, 46 mins), Faherty.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; O'Brien, D Dennehy, Hoare, Bermingham; Cawley, Kelly; Timlin (Byrne, 67 mins), McEleneney (Verdon, 58 mins), B Dennehy; McGrath.

Referee: P Sutton (Clare).