Sligo keep up impressive win to thwart Cork City advance

Cork City 1 Sligo Rovers 2

Sligo Rovers followed up their 5-0 win over Wexford Youths last Friday with victory at Turner’s Cross on Monday night to move to fifth in the Premier Division table, simultaneously disrupting Cork City’s chances of closing the gap on leaders Dundalk.

With the Lilywhites having lost to Galway United at the weekend, victory for John Caulfield’s side would have brought them to within three points with a game in hand, but the Bit O’Red didn’t prove to be accommodating visitors.

Dave Robertson’s side took a slightly fortuitous lead when Kieran Sadlier returned City goalkeeper Mark McNulty’s poor clearance with interest in the eighth minute and just before half-time their lead was doubled.

Raffaele Cretaro, a spiky presence all night, showed good control to weave through the home defence and round McNulty but, just as he was about to cap his run with a goal, Greg Bolger slid in and appeared to nudge the ball over his own line.

Between those two strikes, City had provided more of an attacking threat but found Sligo goalkeeper Micheál Schlingermann in good form. The start of the second half brought a more concerted effort by the Rebel Army, with Karl Sheppard drawing a save from Schlingerman within a minute of the restart while Seán Maguire and Mark O’Sullivan both went close too.

With 15 minutes left, City received a lifeline. Having had a penalty appeal ignored by referee Robert Harvey just beforehand, Mark O’Sullivan found himself impeded in the area by Jimmy Keohane and this time a spot-kick accrued.

Maguire, so reliable from 12 yards all season, sent his kick down the middle and the home faithful raised the volume in the hope of inspiring an equaliser. Despite the pressure, it never came, with a frantic late scramble the nearest they came.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Beattie, Mulcahy, Browne, O'Connor; Bolger, G Morrissey (Buckley 70); Sheppard (D Morrissey, 55 mins), Maguire, Dooley (Turner, 77 mins); O'Sullivan.

SLIGO ROVERS: Schlingermann; Adebayo-Rowlings, Leahy, Boylan (Peers 63), Keohane; McCann, Roddan, Martin; Campion, Cretaro (Russell, 72 mins ), Sadlier (Place, 87 mins).

Referee: R Harvey (Dublin).

Attendance: 2,575.