League Report: Dundalk 1 - 0 Cork City

Niall Newberry reports from Oriel Park

Dundalk kept in touch with Shamrock Rovers at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table on Friday night thanks to a 1-0 win over Cork City in what was a predictably scrappy encounter at Oriel Park.

A headed goal in the 38th minute from Michael Duffy was enough to keep Dundalk within seven points of the Hoops – who have played two extra matches – but Cork are now 12 points behind the league leaders.

Dundalk were unchanged from their win at Derry City a fortnight ago while Cork made two changes from their win over Bohemians on the same night with Sean McLoughlin and Kevin O’Connor both coming in.

Vinny Perth’s side had an early penalty appeal waved away when Sean Murray, after being played through by Patrick Hoban, burst into the box before being pushed by midfielder Conor McCormack.

However, referee Paul McLaughlin waved away the appeal which was probably the correct decision.

Then came the first big chance of the night with Hoban playing in Duffy, who skipped the challenge of a several Cork defenders before seeing his attempt somehow saved by the veteran Mark McNulty.

A large portion of the healthy attendance at Oriel Park thought that the hosts had taken the lead when Duffy’s shot from the edge of the area had hit the side-netting, much to the relief of McNulty.

Duffy, who was a doubt to even start this match, was now causing Cork all sorts of problems and he again went close minutes later but this time saw his attempt from distance fizz past just the post.

It took the visitors more than half-an-hour to have a shot and it came from a free-kick which Kevin O’Connor – who scored from similar range against Dundalk in the Presidents Cup – floated over.

Dundalk deservedly took the lead seven minutes before the break when Jamie McGrath crossed for Duffy and he somehow rose above Garry Comerford – who may have got the final touch – to head home.

With their tails now well and truly up, Dundalk went in search of a second before half-time with Duffy firing a shot straight at McNulty, who will feel he could have done a lot better for that earlier goal.

Dundalk almost doubled their advantage eight minutes after the restart when Hoban, who is just three goals behind the club’s all-time league record, saw his header from a McGrath free-kick tipped over by McNulty.

The second period was a largely uneventful affair with chances few and far between and Cork never looked likely to find an equaliser in a game where they failed to fashion one single shot on target.

McNulty, as has often been the case against Dundalk, had a night to forget and he calamitously parried Sean Gannon’s cross with the ball eventually finding its way to Daniel Kelly, who shot straight at the Cork stopper.

There was questionable goalkeeping at the other end too when the usually reliable Gary Rogers almost got caught out by Graham Cummins after trying to dribble past Cork captain Karl Sheppard.

He got away with that mishap though as Dundalk held on to collect all three points with Cork showing very little sign of mounting any sort of title challenge with either Dundalk or Shamrock Rovers.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Dane Massey; Sean Hoare, Sean Murray (Dean Jarvis 77); Daniel Kelly (Cameron Dummigan 88), Jamie McGrath, Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban.

Subs not used: Aaron McCarey, Jordan Flores, Joe McKee, Georgie Kelly.

Booked: Brian Gartland (31), Michael Duffy (79).

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Colm Horgan (Garry Comerford 9 (Alan Bennett 46)), Conor McCarthy, Sean McLoughlin, Kevin O’Connor (Dan Smith 82); Conor McCormack, Garry Buckley; Karl Sheppard, Gearoid Morrissey, Shane Griffin; Graham Cummins.

Subs not used: Tadgh Ryan, Pierce Phillips, Darragh Rainsford, Liam Nash.

Booked: Garry Buckley (76), Shane Griffin (84).

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

Attendance: 3,783.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Sean Gannon (Dundalk).