LOI round-up: Cork and Derry in stalemate as Bohemians stay top

Cork City 0 Derry City 0

Despite having the better chances, Cork City remain without a home league win after they couldn’t get the better of Derry City.

The game took a while to get going and never really sparked in the first-half, with neither side going close until a pair of chances for the home side shortly before half-time.

Cork, having had their first win at Sligo on Monday, were unchanged but still not flowing with confidence and Derry looked to test them with balls in behind but the home defence, with Shane Griffin impressive, stood firm.

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It was Griffin who went closest to an opener in the first-half, a low shot off the post and wide, while his cross for Liam Nash after 37 minutes drew an acrobatic shot but one which was off-target.

Less than a minute into the second half, Derry’s Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe nearly played in Barry McNamee but Seán McLoughlin intercepted, while Ally Gilchrist’s long-range effort was tipped over by McNulty.

Beyond that though, Cork looked the likelier to score. Substitute Dan Smith headed wide from Colm Horgan’s cross and Conor McCarthy went close following a corner, but it wasn’t to be.

Cork City: McNulty; McCarthy, Casey, McLoughlin (Horgan 58), Griffin; McCormack, Morrissey; D O'Connor (Tilley 58), Buckley, Sheppard; Nash (Smith 77).

Derry City: Cherrie; Cole, Toal, Gilchrist, Coll; Harkin, Sloggett; Ogedi-Uzokwe (Stokes 60), McNamee, McCrudden (Delap 71); Parkhouse (Seraf 88).

Referee: R Rogers (Dublin).

Attendance: 2,847

UCD 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 1

A second-half equaliser from Conor Davis earned UCD their first point of the new campaign as they showed admirable resolve against highflying St Patrick’s Athletic at the UCD Bowl.

St Pat’s survived a 20th minute scare when keeper Brendan Clarke got down sharply to push away a first time shot by striker Davis from Daniel Tobin’s cross.

But the Inchicore side dominated midfield and deservedly took the lead seven minutes later.

Rhys McCabe got his throw back from Chris Forrester on the left to arc over a cross.

The in-form Mikey Drennan met it to confidently sweep a half-volley past Conor Kearns for his third goal of the season.

UCD passed their way back into the game from the resumption with their endeavour bringing a 58th minute equaliser.

Central defender Liam Scales surged to the byline down the left to cross for Davis to force the ball home from very close range.

UCD: Kearns; Tobin, Collins, Scales, Dignam; Doyle (O'Farrell, h-t); McClelland, O'Neill, Molloy, Farrugia; Davis (Mahdy, 81).

St Patrick's Athletic: B. Clarke; Madden, Desmond, Toner, Bermingham; Lennon; Miele (Doona, 69), Clifford, McCabe (Shaw, 81), Forrester; Drennan.

Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).

Waterford 0 Bohemians 0

Goalkeeper James Talbot once again held firm to earn a point on the road for early table-toppers Bohemians.

While Dinny Corcoran had scored in each of the opening three wins of the season, Talbot also kept cleansheets.

Waterford kept the young Dublin ’keeper busy, especially in the second-half, as they etched out a draw.

Bohs were content to operate on the counter and they conjured their best opening after a half an hour.

Ali Reghba, on the pitch just two minutes to replace the injured Luke Wade-Slater, was released on goal by Corcoran, yet could only slice his low effort into the side-netting.

Former Bohs striker Izzy Akinade cut an isolated figure up front for Waterford. The most Alan Reynolds’ side could muster was Zack Elbouzedi’s speculative shot from 25 yards which zipped past the far upright.

The Blues continued the tactic of adopting a high defensive line and the risk caught them out again five minutes after the restart.

Early season surges have proven Daniel Mandroiu has pace to burn and he showed Kenny Browne a clean pair of heels in a foot-race from the half-way line.

Fortunately for Browne, the nimbler Keto advanced to smother the danger at Mandroiu’s feet.

Down the other end, the hosts were getting most of their joy from corner-kicks. Browne was left unmarked to connect with Georgie Poyton’s delivery and his half-volley drew a close-range save from Talbot.

The former Sunderland trainee once again displayed his reflexes with 18 minutes left with a good save from Rory Feely’s header.

Waterford: H Keta; G Poynton, K Browne, D Delaney, R Feely; S Duggan, JJ Lunney; Z Elbouzedi, B Héry (K Chvedukas 70), C Galvin (S Twine 46); I Akinade (A Drinan 79).

Bohamians: J Talbot; D Pender, R Cornwall, J Finnerty D Leahy; L Wade-Slater (A Reghba 28), K Buckley; C Levingston, D Mandroiu, K Ward (R Swan 76); D Corcoran.

Referee: Rob Hennessey (Clare).

Attendance: 2,415.

Finn Harps 1 Sligo Rovers 2

Sligo Rovers chalked up their first win of the season as they defeated Finn Harps in the north-west derby at Finn Park.

This was a much needed win for Liam Buckley’s charges but it leaves newly promoted Harps with just two points from a tough opening four games.

Harps carved out the first opening with Nathan Boyle inches away from connecting with a Mark Coyle drive across the box after 10 minutes, while Liam Kerrigan then fired over for the visitors.

Sligo had a great chance on 19 minutes when Romeo Parkes had a free header but could not find the target as he met a Ronan Murray free-kick.

Rovers took the lead on 29 minutes when Kris Twardek played a long ball through to Romeo Parkes who outwitted the advancing Peter Burke before blasting the ball into the net.

Harps’ Daniel O’Reilly had a shot deflected out for a corner before the break but overall it was a somewhat lacklustre first half.

Peter Burke did well to get down and save a stinging shot from Ronan Murray on 48 minutes.

From the resulting corner from Jack Keaney Sligo doubled their advantage, as Kris Twardek’s glancing header flashed across a crowded goalmouth and into the net.

But Daniel O’Reilly headed in at the far post to pull one back for Harps on 55 minutes.

Parkes headed narrowly wide for Sligo on 77 minutes and Dante Leverock blasted over from a good position.

Harps battled gamely, especially through substitute Caolan McAleer, but Sligo held on.

The game was delayed by five minutes at the start in order to ease congestion at the turnstiles as 2,031 filed into the venue.

Finn Harps: Burke; Borg, Cowan, O'Reilly; Kavanagh, Coyle (McGinley 83 mins), Harkin, Russell (McAleer, 54 mins); Cretaro; Boyle, Boyd (Place, 77 mins).

Sligo Rovers: Beeney; Morahan, Leverock, Mahon, Banks; Keaney (Cawley, 86 mins), Murray (Forsythe, 90 mins), Callan-McFadden (Ward, 24 mins), Twardek; Parkes, Kerrigan.

Referee: Mr. D. Tomney (Dublin).