Cork City 0 - 0 Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers’ march on the league title was stalled slightly on Friday evening, as they played out a 0-0 draw with Cork City in Turner’s Cross.

Cork City, despite being under extensive pressure for long periods of the first half, really battled well and seemed determined to stand strong, defending resolutely to keep the champions elect at bay. That’s not to say they didn’t have chances of their own, however, and they will probably feel a little hard done by that they left the game with just a point.

Sligo started the game the stronger of the two sides, and retained possession of the football excellently. As the game wore on however, their passing became a little sloppy and erratic, lacking the quick tempo that has earned them so many plaudits this season.

It was Cork City who had the first chance of the game, when Vinny Sullivan failed to control Daryl Horgan’s clipped ball into the box, and it spun away from the Waterford-born man and was cleared to safety on the four minute mark. Sligo then attempted to hit back through two chances, but neither managed to find the back of the net.

First, Pascal Millien drove his shot from just outside the box wide of the target, before Raffaele Cretaro’s scrambled effort was foiled by the goalkeeper and scrambled wide after he latched on to Mark Quigley’s delicate through ball. Rovers then had yet another chance, this time through captain Danny Ventre, who smashed his effort just wide of the upright.

Though Sligo had a number of chances, they were mostly from long range, as they couldn’t quite cut the home side open and really threaten in the final third.

The second half certainly took it’s time getting going, and the first real chance of the second period came in the 66^th minute, and what a chance it was. Kalen Spillane raked a long ball forward into the path of Ian Turner who promptly latched onto it before shooting from an acute angle. His shot, however, was parried to safety by the Sligo goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, and Sligo very nearly got their own noses in front. Pascal Millien, who, at times was a real threat, drifted in off the right side before getting his shot away, but it was cleared to safety by a clutch of Cork defenders.

The game had evened out at that point and Cork were much the better side for the majority of the second half. They missed a great chance with 12 minutes remaining, when Kalen Spillane steered Ian Turner’s corner at goal, but his header hit the post before bouncing off the goalkeeper and out of play for a corner.

The Rebel Army then had another great chance in the dying seconds. Vinny Sullivan dummied a ball that was played across the face of goal, but Shane Duggan’s shot nestled safely in the goalkeeper’s hands.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Gavin Kavanagh, Kevin Murray, Kalen Spillane, Danny Murphy; Ian Turner, Brian Lenihan (Colin Healy 46), John Dunleavy, Shane Duggan, Daryl Horgan (Stephen Kenny, 85); Vinny Sullivan.
Subs not used: Kevin Burns, Dan Murray, Garry Buckley, Davin O'Neill, Keigan Parker.

Booked: None.

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Seamus Coneely (David Cawley, 44), Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Ross Gaynor; Pascal Millien (Liam Buchanan, 83), Danny Ventre, Joseph Ndo, Lee Lynch, Raffaele Cretaro; Mark Quigley.
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Jeff Henderson, Martin Owens, Ryan Connolly, John Dillon.

Booked: None.

Referee: Derek Tomney.

Attendance: 3,071

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: John Dunleavy (Cork City).