Cork City ... 1 Longford ... 1 Cork City were made battle for their draw at Turner's Cross on Saturday as Longford Town confirmed the view they will seriously influence the final placings.

Longford had to come from behind to take a point but they did so with commendable determination as Cork were pushed to protect their unbeaten home record in the competition.

Cork led from the sixth minute when the persistence of their teenage striker, Colin P O'Brien, forced Avery John to commit a foul or concede a goal. John was merely delaying the inevitable for John O'Flynn converted the resultant penalty, his 16th goal of the season.

Longford stepped up their game after the interval with the introduction of substitutes Paddy Mulvihill and Seamus Crowe. Their good work paid off when Brian Byrne headed the ball home in the 60th minute.

CORK CITY: Devine; O'Halloran, Daly, Murray, Horgan; O'Callaghan (C T O'Brien 72), Bennett, Reynolds, Woods; C P O'Brien, O'Flynn.

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien; Murphy, Ferguson, John, Dillon; Sheridan, Kirby, Perth (Crowe 73), Byrne; Francis (Mulvihill 57), Levine.

Referee: I Stokes (Dublin)