LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION: Bohemians 0 Cork City 1DAVIN O'NEILL'S excellently-taken first goal for Cork City at Dalymount Park last night offered much hope to the pretenders to Bohemians' throne as the champions were given an early awakening that they'll have to play far, far better than this to retain the title won at a canter last year.
It was a second victory on the spin for Paul Doolin’s Cork who, on this display, should consider themselves to be very much in the mix to challenge for honours.
He may have a smaller squad than last season, but Bohemians boss Pat Fenlon appeared to show the condensed strength of his panel by making three changes with Mark Rossiter, Glen Cronin and Killian Brennan coming into the side from that which won in Drogheda last week. The pity was that, save for an enterprising opening, his team scarcely got going as they lost their leadership of the table to Derry City.
Cork welcomed Pat Sullivan back into their defence and that rearguard was under the cosh early on. Jason McGuinness had a header deflected for the first corner from a Brennan free-kick while the winger then fluffed his shot way off target. In between, the home defence was caught flat-footed on seven minutes when goalkeeper Dan Connor’s long ball put O’Neill in behind down the right but he blazed high and wide.
The ball was in the Cork net on 32 minutes, but a linesman’s flag had been raised prior to Glen Crowe rifling home Anto Murphy cross, which had gone out of play.
Bohemians dropped their tempo and defensive concentration to allow Cork into the game. Brian Shelley had to make a superb challenge on Guntars Silagailis who was primed to shoot as he raced on to Joe Gamble’s pass. The Latvian striker was then played in behind on 43 minutes again by Gamble. Shelley again came to the Bohemians rescue.
Cork deservedly got what proved their winner within seven minutes of the restart. Sullivan’s throw down the line was flicked on by O’Neill for Denis Behan to spin in behind McGuinness. The return pass was perfect for the run of O’Neill who drilled left-footed to the bottom near corner.
Bohemians never regained the initiative they enjoyed in the opening quarter. McGuinness headed narrowly over the bar from a corner while substitute Jason Byrne volleyed onto the roof of the net as Cork held out.
BOHEMIANS:B. Murphy; Shelley, Heary, McGuinness, Rossiter; A. Murphy (Byrne, 58 mins.), Cronin, Keegan, Brennan (Carey, 73 mins.); Ndo, Crowe.
CORK CITY:Connor; Sullivan (Horgan, 70 mins.), O'Halloran, Murray, Murphy; O'Neill (Lordan 90+3 mins), Gamble, Healy, Dennehy; Behan (Kuduzovic, 63 mins.), Silagailis.
Referee:Damien Hancock (Dublin).
