And they thought it was all over
Champs dig deep to spoil Cork’s party Rebels still in box seat to land the title
CORK CITY were ‘caught out’ by a late Dundalk leveller at a throbbing Turner’s Cross last night and must wait a little longer to be crowned champions. The 1-1 draw has nudged City to the brink of SSE Airtricity Premier League title glory as they lead Dundalk by 11 points with four games to go. But John Caulfield’s men were the better team and worth more than a half-time lead courtesy of a Brian Gartland own goal before being caught by Robbie Benson’s late rabbit punch. ‘After losing two games there was a bit of doom and gloom but it was a phenomenal first half from the players,’ said Caulfield. ‘We are very disappointed not to win because Dundalk didn’t have many chances. We gave away a soft goal but it’s still in our control,’ he added. Veteran City defender Alan Bennett, a survivor of the 2005 title-winning team, summed up a night of roller-coaster emotions. ‘We got caught out at the end but we are one step closer,’ he said. Man of the match Conor McCormack insisted City ‘went out to win the game and put it [the title] to bed. ‘In the last few weeks we’ve been trying to get over the line but it’s very tough as all teams are fighting for points.’ Meanwhile, St Patrick’s Athletic inched closer to top-flight safety with a 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers. «REPORTS — PAGE 51
ON THE feast of St Finbarr, patron saint of this parish, Cork City were three minutes from clinching the SSE Airtricity League title the way they coveted — on home turf, and against Dundalk, the team they have been chasing since 2014.
But Robbie Benson’s late leveller hit City like a punch in the gut, prompted silence to fall on Turner’s Cross, and caused a hasty removal from the premises of the champion’s trophy.
Even so, City are in a formidable position as they still lead Dundalk by 11 points with four games to go and will surely bank the point they need, away to Bohemians on Friday the 13th of October — lucky for some.
It would be all over before that if Dundalk don’t win at Finn Harps on Saturday week.
In front of Roy Keane and a season’s best attendance of 6,983, City delivered the sort of disciplined performance which characterised Ireland’s assistant manager in his playing pomp.
Keane never played for City but he’d have been at home in the trenches last night and he must have admired the way Conor McCormack, of Carlingford stock, shielded the back four as City protected their first-half lead.
McCormack’s industry appeared to have been enough but Dundalk, without hitting top gear, found a way to spoil the party and silence the Rebel Army.
Ryan Connolly found space on the right and delivered an inviting cross into the box where Benson directed the ball beyond Mark McNulty – it was Dundalk’s only effort on target.
City were stunned but they should have been out of sight by half-time after a spell on the front foot following an own goal by Dundalk’s Brian Gartland.
The Louth men arrived with a mission statement stencilled into their white jerseys. ‘We’re not here for a coronation,’ insisted Stephen Kenny before kick-off.
As City were tight and disciplined, Dundalk were curiously ragged as they lost possession frequently in their own territory and were blessed to escape punishment.
In the 20th minute, Dundalk exposed their chin to a selfinflicted uppercut.
After a slick City build-up, Stephen Dooley’s cross from the right picked out Garry Buckley who dithered before stabbing a shot towards goal.
Goalkeeper Gary Rogers got a palm to the ball but it broke loose and Sean Hoare, in attempting to clear ahead of the marauding Jimmy Keohane, saw his effort catch Gartland’s chest and ricochet high into the net.
It was as scrappy a goal as any sucked into the net by the Shed End soldiers all year — yet none carried a greater value since the departure of 20-goal Sean Maguire to Preston in the English Championship.
From then to the break, City were the better team and went close to extending their lead through Buckley and Dooley, only for Rogers to ride to the rescue for Dundalk.
City’s best chance fell to Jimmy Keohane in the 36th minute when Dooley sent him clear.
He had time to pick his spot and pose for the cameras, but dallied and then rushed his effort over the bar — it was a major let-off for the champions.
The second half was tense, if virtually chanceless, yet City seemed to have done enough before Benson’s late spoiler.