Cork come from behind as they move 16 points clear
CORK City came from behind to take all three points from The Showgrounds on Monday evening last.
Rovers went 1- 0 up thanks to Kieran Sadlier’s first- half penalty, but the league leaders fought back in the second- half, with Achille Campion and Kevin O’Connor scoring to see John Caulfield’s men move 16 points clear at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division table.
The league leaders, who are yet to lose a game this season, really should have taken the lead after two minutes. An excellent cross from Stephen Dooley should have ended in the back of the net following contact with Jimmy Keohane, but a point blank save from Schlingermann cleared the danger. His clearance fell to Karl Sheppard, and again the Mayo man was on hand to pull off a fine save.
They were well deserving of their lead when referee Rob Hennessy pointed to the spot when Alan Bennett was adjudged to have fouled Liam Martin in the box. Sadlier, who is enjoying an impressive run of form for the Bit o’Red, sent Mark McNulty the wrong way on 23 minutes to give the Bit o’Red the lead.
Raff Cretaro, Liam Martin and Jonah Ayunga all forced McNulty into fine saves as the first- half drew to a conclusion.
The visitors were handed a life- line earlier in the second- half when Kyle Callan- McFadden upended Karl Sheppard in the box. The in- form Seani Maguire, however, sent the spot- kick well wide of the mark.
Not ones to go down easily, City ploughed on through the second- half in search of an equaliser. It finally arrived shortly after the hour mark through substitute Achille Campion, who was last season on the books at Rovers.
Cork were applying serious pressure to the Rovers rearguard and finally got their rewards as Kevin O’Connor’s corner somehow crept into the back of the net, evading the Rovers defence. Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlinger- mann, Gary Boylan, Michael Leahy, Kyle Callan McFadden, Regan Donelon, Liam Martin, Chris Kenny, Craig Roddan, Kieran Sadlier, Raff Cretaro ( Martin Walsh, 74), Jonah Ayunga ( Mikey Place, 64).
Subs: Shaun Patton, John Mahon, Mikey Place, Jack Keaney, Mark Hannon.
Cork City: Mark McNulty, John Dunleavy, Ryan Delaney, Alan Bennett, Kevin O’Connor, Greg Bolger, Conor McCormack ( Achille Campion, 61), Jimmy Keohane, Stephen Dooley ( John Kavanagh, 93), Seani Maguire, Karl Sheppard ( Shane Griffin, 87).
Subs: Gearoid Morrissey, Conor Ellis, Steven Beattie, Shane Griffin, Alan Smith.