League Report: Cork City 1 - 2 Dundalk

Dundalk kept their unbeaten run alive when they defeated Cork City tonight in front of a capacity crowd of 6,900 in Turners Cross. They now go five points clear of the Leesiders thanks to the win tonight.

The home side took the lead on 32 minutes when Billy Dennehy’s cross was deflected off Andy Boyle into the Dundalk net to give the Tralee man his fourth goal of the season.

However the current man of the moment in League of Ireland football, Richie Towell got one back on the verge of half time when he shot home from 12 yards following a poor punched clearance by Mark McNulty.

The man of the match Towell then gave Dundalk the lead early in the second half converting a penalty after Darren Dennehy had brought down David McMillan. Try as City might they were unable to bridge the deficit and rescue a point.

The home side had the better of the opening exchanges when Karl Sheppard headed narrowly over from a Colin Healy corner. John O’Flynn and Ross Gaynor followed this up soon after but the Dundalk defence lead by Andy Boyle stopped everything City could throw at them.

They lost Captain John Dunleavy to a leg injury after 19 minutes and that forced City to change formation dropping Liam Miller back from his attacking position.

Ex City star Daryl Horgan had the visitor’s best chance of a goal in the opening half hour when his 25 yard pile-driver crashed off the crossbar much to Mark McNulty’s relief in the City goal.

The home side were in front on 32 minutes when a Healy corner wasn’t properly cleared only to fall to Dennehy and his shot took a deflection of Boyle past a helpless Gary Rodgers into the net to give the crowd something to cheer about.

In first half stoppage time Mark McNulty failed to properly clear a Dundalk corner and the ball fell to Richie Towell who scored his eighth goal of the season from 12 yards.

He was to score from a similar position early in the second half when converting a penalty on 47 minutes. David McMillan made a great run into the box and was fouled by Darren Dennehy with referee Rob Rogers pointing to the spot. Towell stepped up and converted for his ninth goal of the season.

Dundalk had a chance to put the game beyond doubt on 66 minutes when McMillan’s shot hit the post with McNulty well beaten.

Cork City then threw the kitchen sink at the Dundalk goal introducing Rob Lehane and Mark O’Sullivan in the hope of clawing back a goal but it wasn’t to be and Dundalk claimed all three points meaning Dundalk are the only team to beat Cork City in Turners Cross under John Caulfield’s leadership.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Kavanagh, Darren Dennehy, Alan Bennett, Ross Gaynor (Rob Lehane, 84); John Dunleavy (Garry Buckley, 19), Colin Healy; Billy Dennehy, Liam Miller, Karl Sheppard; John O’Flynn (Mark O’Sullivan, 66).
Subs not Used: Alan Smith (gk), Dan Murray, Gavin Holohan, Kieran Djilali.

Booked: D Dennehy (47), Gaynor (68).

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Richie Towell; Darren Meenan (John Mountney 74), Ronan Finn (Stephen O’Donnell 62), Daryl Horgan (Shane Grimes 80); David McMillan.
Subs not used: Gabriel Sava (gk), Kurtis Byrne, Paddy Barrett, Jake Kelly.

Booked: Massey (23), Meenan (70), Gannon (90).

Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin)

Attendance: 6,900  (sold out)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Richie Towell (Dundalk)