Cork not impressed with referee

Cork City manager Derek Mountfield was not impressed with referee John McDermott's decision to send off his skipper, Declan Daly, in yesterday's drawn game against Derry City at the Brandywell.

And Mountfield, who has watched five of his players receive their marching orders in his eight games away from home, is worried about the trend. "I've gone on record in the past about this very situation. Referees don't seem to like us when we are on our travels," he said after the game.

"I thought the decision to send Declan Daly off was very harsh. Both players had one eye on the ball while challenging for possession. It was not a case of a last man challenge or a professional foul," he added.

However, he was delighted to have taken a point having been forced to play with 10 men for the final 30 minutes. It was the home side who looked the more accomplished throughout the first half and when Eamon Doherty broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, Cork were in difficulty.

Gary Beckett controlled the ball in midfield and following his superb crossfield pass, Doherty got the better of Fergus O'Donoghue. The midfielder cruised into the area and stroked the ball beyond the advancing Michael Devine.

The same Derry players combined 18 minutes later but on this occasion Doherty's ferocious shot was well saved by Devine at his near post.

The failure of Derry striker Liam Coyle to reappear at the start of the second half coincided with Cork's best spell of the match and in the 52nd minute they punished the home side for sloppy defensive play. With Derry failing to clear their lines, Ollie Cahill was allowed to square the ball into the path of the unmarked Pat Morley, and he had no difficulty finding the net from 10 yards.

DERRY CITY: Payne; McCallion, Harkin, Hutton, Hargan; Doherty, Hegarty, McLaughlin, McCready; Coyle, Beckett. Subs: Parkhouse for Coyle (half-time), Kelly for Beckett (55 mins), Gallagher for McCready (81 mins).

CORK CITY: Devine; Napier, Daly, Coughlan, O'Donoghue; Tynan, Gaughan, Herrick, Cahill; Morley, Caulfield. Subs: O'Halloran for O'Donoghue (37 mins), O'Brien for Caulfield (60 mins), Flanagan for Tynan (72 mins).

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).