Sport

Sweet win for Cork

Cork City wiped out the bitter memory of three successive defeats by the defending champions last year to move into joint leadership…

Mon Sept 13 1999 - 01:00

Cork City wiped out the bitter memory of three successive defeats by the defending champions last year to move into joint leadership of the Premier Division at Turners Cross over the weekend.

Cork's match-winner was scored by Greg O'Halloran who netted with a glorious left-footed drive just before half-time to ease last year's runners-up into a four-way tie at the top with Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Derry City.

It was a close, hard-fought contest that lacked real excitement apart from O'Halloran's beauty just before the break. The Irish Youths' star, in the team for the injured Stephen Napier, skipped between Keith Doyle and Martin Russell to fire a wonderful 20-yard drive into the top right-hand corner of Trevor Wood's net. "Our league performances against St Pat's over the last few years have not been the greatest and I was delighted we managed to beat them on Saturday," said Cork manager Dave Barry.

"It was a wonderful goal from young Greg O'Halloran and he beat one of the best goalkeepers in the country in Trevor Wood," added Barry, whose side travel to Dublin in confident mood to face Shelbourne on Friday night.

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"We were not at our best in the first half, but we settled down after half-time," said Barry. "It was a thoroughly professional performance from us and we held our concentration right to the final whistle and I was pleased with that too."

St Patrick's had one change in their team as well with Colin Hawkins coming back into their three-man defence for Donal Broughan, but they were lucky to escape with just a one-goal defeat and can thank Wood for that. Wood denied Colin O'Brien and second-half substitute John Caulfield late goals.

Cork City: Mooney; O'Halloran, Daly, Hill, Cronin; C O'Brien, Freyne, L O'Brien, Herrick, Cahill; Morley. Subs: Flanagan for L O'Brien (84 mins), Caulfield for Morley (87 mins).

St Patrick's Athletic: Wood; McGuinness, Lynch, Hawkins; Crolly, Russell, Gormley, Doyle; Hallows, Gilzean, Molloy. Subs: Devereux for Hallows and Morgan for Gormley (both 64 mins).

Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).