League Report: Shelbourne 1 - 1 Cork City

Ciarán Ó Meachair reports from Tolka Park

Deshane Dalling scored a bizarre late equaliser as Shelbourne and Cork City shared the spoils on a damp Saturday evening in Drumcondra.

Dayle Rooney bagged a very early goal for the home side, who looked set to record their first league victory at Tolka Park since the restart before Dalling struck 15 minutes from time.

There were just two minutes gone when Sean Quinn cut out a loose Mark McNulty clearance and slipped the ball to the endline for Ciarán Kilduff.

The former Cork City striker dug out a cross for the arriving Rooney, who glanced home a header from point-blank range.

Cork held onto possession for long stretches after Shels went ahead, but their sustained pressure failed to lead to much in the way of decent chances.

The pick of the first-half chances for the Leesiders came around the 20-minute mark when Scott Fenwick narrowly headed wide.

Fenwick was in the thick of the action a few minutes later when Cork players claimed he was pulled down in the box, but referee Rob Hennessy wasn’t persuaded.

Shels had little in terms of chances in the first half, though when they did they looked by far the more dangerous side.

A strike from Kilduff after some great Shels interplay just before the first water break was tipped over the bar by McNulty in the Cork net.

Shortly afterwards a Ryan Brennan effort looked like it would sneak inside the post but McNulty managed to get a hand to it.

As half-time approached and the rain began to fall the game became noticeably scrappier and more physical. Cork were even forced into a substitution when Alan Bennett picked up a knock.

The second half began at a somewhat frantic pace with a couple of half chances for both teams, mostly originating from set pieces.

Cork began to commit players forward in search of an equaliser, but in doing so they left gaps open at the back.

Kilduff had two great chances in quick succession from Shels’ counter-attacks.

On the first of those he found himself 1v1 with McNulty, but the right-foot of the Cork keeper stopped Shels from going two goals ahead.

Less than a minute later he had a powerful shot which was again saved by the City goalkeeper.

McNulty’s heroics kept Cork in the game, and eventually it was to be a freak goal in the opposite net that would secure them a point.

An attempted cross from Cork’s Deshane Dalling was misjudged by Colin McCabe in the Shelbourne goal and looped into the top corner of the Reds net.

Cork suddenly gained a real sense of belief that they could push on for a winner, but they failed to find any real momentum.

Two late substitutes, Jaza Kabia and Mark Byrne, gave the home side a shot in the arm as they went in search of a second goal, but time caught up on Shelbourne, who will feel they dropped two points.

Shelbourne: Colin McCabe; Georgie Poynton, Dan Byrne, Luke Byrne, Alex O’Hanlon; Denzil Fernandes (Mark Byrne 79), Sean Quinn, Gary Deegan (C), Dayle Rooney; Ryan Brennan (Aaron Dobbs 69), Ciaran Kilduff (Jaze Kabia 79).

Subs not used: Jack Brady (gk), Daniel O’Reilly, Aidan Friel, Oscar Brennan.

Booked: Gary Deegan (56).

Cork City: Mark McNulty 7; Dale Holland (Ronan Hurley 83), Alan Bennett (Jake O’Brien 45+1), Kevin O’Connor, Rob Slevin; Cian Coleman, Gearoid Morrissey (C), Henry Ochieng (Connor Simpson 46); Dylan McGlade, Scott Fenwick (Ricardo Dinanga 87), Deshane Dalling.

Subs not used: Liam Bossin (gk), Alec Byrne, Daire O’Connor.

Booked: Cian Coleman (48).

Referee: Rob Hennessy.

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Gary Deegan (Shelbourne).