Soccer

League of Ireland round-up: Cork City move three clear

Finn Harps get first win of the season to leave St Pat’s languishing in the bottom three

Ciaran O’Connor’s goal gave Finn Harps their first win over the season against St Pat’s. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Mon Mar 13 2017 - 22:27

Cork City 2 Sligo Rovers 1

Cork City opened up a three-point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division thanks to a second-half turnaround at Turner’s Cross.

Having held out solidly for much of the game, visitors Sligo Rovers took the lead through Kieran Sadlier in the 64th minute as he nipped in to dispossess John Dunleavy and finish smartly past Mark McNulty.

Despite raucous celebrations though, Sligo - who had five players book in total - conceded an equaliser a minute later as Kevin O’Connor’s delivery was helped on by sub Achille Campion for Steven Beattie to finish with a nice half-volley.

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With 15 minutes left, City scored what would prove to be the winner as Garry Buckley’s ball over the top was perfect for Seán Maguire, who scored for the sixth successive game. Sligo didn’t threaten to score again and while Karl Sheppard was denied a third City goal by Shaun Patton, the three points were safe.

While City played well and dominated for much of the first half, Patton made a number of good saves as Sligo held out. In fact, the visitors might have led at half-time after Jonah Ayunga had a mazy run but Mark McNulty got a fingertip to his shot.

The City goalkeeper had to be alert to deny Sadlier just after the restart, but while the winger would score, the Rebel Army had a response.

Cork City: McNulty; McCormack, Dunleavy, Delaney, O'Connor; Bolger (Campion 53), Buckley; Beattie, Keohane, Sheppard (Griffin 85); Maguire (Ellis 90).

Sligo Rovers: Patton; Adebayo-Rowling, Leahy, Boylan, Martin; Russell (Kearns 90), Roddan, Kenny (Place 85), Sadlier; Ayunga (Stevens 85), Cretaro.

Referee: S Grant (Wexford).

Attendance: 2,722

St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Finn Harps 2

Ciaran O’Connor proved Finn Harps’ match-winner as they came from behind at Richmond Park to lift themselves three points clear of the relegation places with a dogged first victory of the season.

St Patrick’s remain worryingly in the bottom three as their search for a first win of the campaign continues.

All the goals came in an error strewn first half. The home side were first to punish a defensive mistake in taking a third minute lead. Harps’ Caolan McAleer and Jonny Bonner in turn lost possession to allow Graham Kelly run through to shoot past Ciaran Gallagher.

Harps battled back into the game and deservedly levelled on 19 minutes. A loose defensive header dropped for Sean Houston who showed good composure to control the ball and find the corner of the home net.

Harps then clinically punished a mistake by Michael Barker to snatch the lead on 44 minutes; Caolan McAleer was fully alert to the error to run in before squaring to give O’Connor a simple tap in for what proved the winner.

A guilt-edged opportunity to level was spurned by St Pat’s inside a minute of the restart. Josh O’Hanlon put Kelly clean through on goal, but the midfielder sliced tamely wide.

St Pat’s introduced Kurtis Byrne and then Christy Fagan as they chased the game, the latter having a shot blocked before his downward header flashed wide from Conan Byrne’s cross on 72 minutes.

St Patrick's Athletic: Murphy; Barker, Peers, Desmond, Bermingham; G. Kelly (K. Byrne, 61), Cregg, Lunney; C. Byrne, J. O'Hanlon (Fagan, 67), B. Dennehy (A. O'Hanlon, 80).

Finn Harps: Gallagher; McNulty, Cantwell, Coll, Harkin; Boyle, Bonner (McCourt, 76); Morrissey (Funston, 82), Houston, McAleer (Mailey, 90+2); O'Connor.

Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).

Limerick 0 Bohemians 1

Bohemians’ Dinny Corcoran scored the only goal of the game against Limerick in closely contested affair at the Markets Field.

It was the second successive game in which Limerick failed to score which must be a worry for manager Martin Russell, but on this occasion the man of the match for the winners was goalkeeper Shane Supple.

Three times in the first half Supple denied the home side but it was the Dubliners, and Corcoran, who went closest to the opening goal after 18 minutes, his shot flying just wide.

A minute later Ian Turner’s corner was superbly pushed out for a corner by Supple who did equally well in blocking an effort by Lee J Lynch.

A Shane Duggan piledriver after 32 minutes was also saved by Supple and the sides went in without a goal at halftime.

Corcoran’s goal came after 50 minutes and while substitute Dean Clarke went close for the home side the Bohemians defence was well on top over the 90 minutes.

Brazillian Rodrrigo Tosi who scored a hat-trick on his first appearnce for Limerick was well marshalled and his claims for a first half penalty were waved away by referee Anthony Buttimer.

Limerick: Hall, Kelly, Williams, Whitehead, Robson, Hery, Duggan, Lynch (Mulhall 66), Turner (Kenny 84), Ogbene (D Clarke 60), Tosi.

Bohemians: Supple, Cornwall, Byrne, Fitzgerald, Morris (Brennan 26), pender, Doyle, Kavanagh, Poyntons, Ward (Simon 84), Corcoran.

Referee: A Buttimer.

Bray Wanderers 2 Drogheda United 1

With Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill an interested spectator Bray extended their unbeaten top-flight run at the Carlisle Grounds by beating ten-man Drogheda and making it three wins out of four this season.

United made six changes to the side beaten by Cork last Friday. And they almost took a second minute lead as Peter Cherrie parried Gareth McCaffrey’s free. Jake Hyland pounced on the rebound but Bray skipper Conor Kenna cleared off the line.

Wanderers hit the front by the fourth minute. After Gary McCabe’s run, Aaron Greene cut in from the left flank to beat former Bray custodian Stephen McGuinness with a low 20-yard drive.

Greene turned provider in the 20th minute as they Seagulls went two ahead. The visitors tried to play from the back. Dylan Connolly held off Colm Deasy and lobbed the advancing McGuinness from 22-yards.

However, Drogheda’s reply was instant. From Mark Griffin’s 23rd minute corner, Ciaran McGuigan smashed a back post half-volley to the roof of the net.

The Louth side were dealt a blow when former Seasider Luke Gallagher was sent-off in the 65th minute for a second yellow after a foul on Connolly.

Bray Wanderers: Cherrie; Robinson (Earley 65), Kenna, Foran, Lynch; Buckley (Salmon 69), Sullivan; Greene, McCabe (Ryan Brennan 78), Connolly; Flood.

Drogheda United: McGuinness; Deasy, Gallagher, McGuigan, Kaner; McCaffrey (Byrne 71), Hyland, Sean Brennan (Thornton 74), McEvoy, Wixted (Buckley 65); Griffin.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).

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