Cork City 1 Wexford Youths 1

Substitute Mark O’Sullivan was on hand to deny Wexford Youths a famous win at Turner’s Cross on Friday night, as second-half pressure finally paid off for Cork City.

From the 15th minute to the 86th, the visitors led thanks to a goal from Eric Molloy, whose deflected shot from Craig McCabe’s cross had beaten Mark McNulty. It capped a fine start for Wexford, for whom Aidan Friel, Danny Furlong and Paul Murphy had all gone close.

The home team laboured in the early stages and they did up their game before half-time, albeit without really looking like bringing parity to the scoreboard. Their best chance came shortly before the break, when Wexford goalkeeper Graham Doyle denied Seán Maguire and Karl Sheppard in quick succession. It was to prove to be emblematic of how the second half would go.

City were well on top in terms of possession and territory after half-time, but couldn’t translate that into a goal, in the main because of Doyle’s brilliance, with wonderful saves from him denying Maguire and then sub Ian Turner.

Even when Doyle didn’t save, it looked like it wouldn’t be City’s night. Maguire hit the crossbar from a Stephen Beattie cross 71 and though the rebound fell to Sheppard a yard out, Lee Grace managed to put him off.

Eventually though, John Caulfield’s side did get something, as Sheppard’s cross to the back post found O’Sullivan free, allowing him to nod home. Maguire had a late chance of a winner but it would have been unfair on Wexford and in any case Doyle was on hand to ensure that his side took a point home.

Cork City: McNulty; Dunleavy, O'Connell, Browne, O'Connor (Beattie 45); G Morrissey (O'Sullivan 70), Bolger; Sheppard, Buckley, Dooley (Turner 61); Maguire.

Wexford Youths: Doyle; McCabe, G Delaney, Last, R Delaney; Molloy (Ledwith 90), Kenny, Grace, Friel; Murphy (O'Keeffe 90), Furlong.

Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).

Attendance: 2,793.