Cork City 0 Bohemians 1:CHAMPIONS BOHEMIANS are back where they probably feel they belong after last night's well-earned raid of the spoils at Turner's Cross.
A game worthy of the title -chasing top two was settled by Jason Byrne’s 56th-minute header and although it was a fair reflection of proceedings, Cork City showed enough to prove they are now genuine title contenders.
The result settles a score stretching back to the Dalymount clash when Cork registered a 1-0 victory. So it’s 1-1 on aggregate but, crucially, their superior goal difference means Bohemians are top of the pile this morning.
Billy Dennehy and Neal Horgan both returned to the starting line-up for the home side while the relatively-depleted Bohemians had Joseph Ndo and Gary Deegan starting in place of the dropped Neale Fenn and the injured Mark Rossiter.
Cork were struck an early blow when midfielder Joe Gamble went off injured after just seven minutes to be replaced by Stephen O’Donnell.
This would eventually prove to be their downfall as Pat Fenlon’s side will be grateful for the contribution of their midfield engine room, marshalled superbly by Paul Keegan and captain Glen Cronin.
A bright opening matched the expectations of the almost capacity crowd but the only chances of the opening half came as the 20-minute mark approached. A great move down the right saw Neal Horgan play in Colin Healy who sent in a superb cross to allow Denis Behan head goalwards but Bohemians goalkeeper Barry Murphy proved more than a match for the downward header.
The ever-industrious Healy popped up at the left corner flag from where another dangerous ball into the Bohemians area caused problems, Ken Oman sending the ball just over his own crossbar.
The rip-roaring nature of the contest didn’t abate but there was nothing tangible to suggest the deadlock would be broken.
Bohemians had probably gone in at the break at least relieved to be level but possibly even encouraged by their growing control of matters. That pattern continued into the opening spells of the second half when the long-awaited crucial goal finally arrived. Byrne and Keegan had just forced Connor into action when in the 56th minute Byrne got on to the end of a dinked Glen Cronin cross to send a well-placed header over the Cork City goalkeeper.
It was no more than they deserved. But Cork refused to give in and a tactical switch by Paul Doolin saw to it that Cork pummelled their title rivals for the last quarter of an hour.
Bohemians, of course, contributed to this as they understandably withdrew a little into themselves inviting a hungry Cork outfit on to them. A tense finale saw set-piece follow set-piece in and around the Bohemians goalmouth. However, not until the third minute of injury time did a home-based player have the Bohemians supporters feeling any anxiety, Timmy Kiely volleying just wide of the target right at the death.
Cork will now travel to struggling Drogheda while Bohemians will pick up their revived challenge at home to Galway next week.
CORK CITY: Connor; Horgan (Kiely, 85 mins), OHalloran, Murray (capt), Murphy; Kuduzovic, Lordan, Gamble ( O’Donnell, 7 mins), Healy, Dennehy (Silagailis, 77 mins); Behan.
BOHEMIANS: B Murphy; A Murphy, Oman, Shelley, Powell; Ndo (Brennan, 76 mins), Cronin (capt), Keegan, Deegan, Carey (S Byrne, 90 mins); J Byrne (Fenn, 84 mins).
Referee: D McKeon (Meath).
