Cork slip deeper into mire

CORK CITY remain in real danger of dropping into the League of Ireland’s First Division as they were held to a scoreless draw by Waterford at Turner’s Cross on Saturday.

City have only scored on eight occasions in the Premier Division this season and that lack of a finishing touch again proved elusive as Waterford somehow left Leeside with a share of the spoils.

In the end, the Blues could have actually snatched all three but former Ireland striker Daryl Murphy squandered three glorious opportunities in the closing stages.

That would have been harsh on Colin Healy’s side, who created more goal-scoring opportunities across the 90 minutes than their opponents.

The majority of those came in a frantic finale as Dylan McGlade, Deshane Dalling, substitute Kit Elliott, and Cian Coleman were all denied by a mixture of bad fortune and good goalkeeping from the Waterford captain Brian Murphy.

The keeper did brilliantly to tip a thunderous strike from McGlade over his crossbar before going one better by somehow turning Elliott’s shot from a couple of yards out over his target.

City would find the net when Cian Coleman headed home from a corner in the 76th minute but a foul in the build-up led to the referee signalling for a free out.

The result leaves Cork at the bottom, one point adrift of their relegation rivals Finn Harps – but the Donegal side now has two games in hand.

They will need to start taking their chances in their final two games away to Sligo and home to Derry.

CORK CITY – L Bossin; H Ochieng, J Olowu, J O’Brien, K O’Connor; A Byrne (K Elliott 63), G Morrissey, C Galvin (C Bargary 56); C Coleman, D McGlade (B O’Brien-Whitmarsh 79), D Dalling.

WATERFORD – B Murphy; D Power (T Sobowale 90), J Davidson, R McCourt, T Wilson; W Fitzgerald, R Weir, N O’Keeffe, M Smith; A Coote ( W Longbottom 68); K Byrne (D Murphy 56).

REF – B Connolly (Dublin).