Sligo Rovers 0 - 3 Cork City

• David Goulden
• Mon, Jul 13 2009


A jaded Sligo Rovers, returning from European action on Thursday night in Albania, were soundly beaten by a Cork City side whose title hopes were given a much-needed boost after defeat to St. Pat's last Tuesday night.

Goals from Danny Murphy, Faz Kudozovic, and Pat Sullivan moved Paul Doolin's side level on points with Shamrock Rovers, but with a game more played they will have to go on another long unbeaten run if they are to overhaul Bohemians.

City had the first chance of the match, when a cross from Colin Healy was screwed over by Steve Feeney, with the resulting corner headed towards goal by Kudozovic, which was then cleared off the line by stand-in left winger Danny Keohane.

Shaun Holmes had the home side's first look at goal in the eighth minute when his cross form the left sailed over Dan Connor in the City goal, only to cross the line for a goal kick. One minute later, a cross from Brian Cash proved too difficult for Rob Turner to meet with his head from just inside the eighteen yard box.

On 12 minutes a cross from Romuald Boco, after some good work from the Benin star, was not properly dealt with by Neal Horgan, but recent signing Turner failed to capitalise on Horgan's mistake.

Sligo were forced into their first change of the game after just 22 minutes when Steve Feeney, due to injury, departed to be replaced by Owen Morrison, just before a Cork corner. While the first cross was dealt with, a second corner followed and it lead to the first goal, when Cork were awarded a free kick twenty yards from Richard Brush’s goal. Danny Murphy unleashed a shot which took a big deflection off Danny Ventre before beating Brush to put the Rebels one up.

Soonafter a volley from Keohane threatened to unnerve Connor, after a failed clearance from Dan Murray ended up at the Ballyshannon natives' left foot, but Keohane failed to put enough power behind the shot as Sligo looked to equalise quickly.

Just before the break, Rovers had a shout for a penalty as captain Conor O’Grady was bundled over by Dan Murray just inside the penalty area at The Railway End, but referee Derek Tomney deemed the challenge to be fair.

Another home shout for a penalty followed the interval, when Turner controlled the ball inside the Cork box, but Mr. Tomney adjudged the ball not to have touched Cork defender Danny Murphy's arm as the new Sligo striker attempted to pass the ball off to his strike partner Romauld Boco.

Rovers introduced another new signing in the 57th minute when Matthew Blinkhorn took Brian Cash’s place, along with Raf Cretaro replacing Turner up front for the home side, in an attempt to change the run of the game. Cork looked as if they would ruin Paul Cooks plans, though, as Kudozovic found himself one-on-one with Brush, but the former Sligo star failed to beat the home 'keeper in the 63rd minute.

Kudozovic didn’t fail four minutes later, however, when his one-two with Denis Behan found him at the feet of Brush, with the Bosnian only having to toe poke the ball into the net for his fourth league goal of the campaign.

Rovers almost found a way back into the game, as a Danny Ventre free kick in the 75th minute from twenty five yards stung the hands of Connor, the former Drogheda 'keeper able to palm the ball to safety.

Cork then killed the game off in the 79th minute when Pat Sullivan's driving shot found the top of the Railway End net from eighteen yards after Shaun Holmes failed to clear the ball outside his own box. Owen Morrison almost found a consolation for Sligo in the penultimate minute, when after some good work form O’Grady and Boco on the right, the ball was sprayed out to the former Derry winger, whose shot breezed past Connor's post. The home side's misfortunes were completed when Danny Ventre was sent off for a second yellow after a foul on Danny Murphy.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush, Alan Keane, Shaun Holmes, Danny Ventre, Steve Feeney (Owen Morrison, 22), Conor O’ Grady, Brian Cash (Matthew Blinkhorn, 57). Richie Ryan, Rob Turner (Raf Cretaro, 57), Romauld Boco, Danny Keohane.
Unused Subs: Owen Torpey, Ciaran Kelly.

Cork City: Dan Connor, Neal Horgan, Danny Murphy, Greg O’ Halloran, Dan Murphy, Colin Healy, Fahrudin Kudozovic, Timmy Kiely (Davin O‘Neill, 81), Denis Behan, Pat Sullivan, Stephen O’ Donnell.
Unused Subs: Guntars Siligailis, Craig Duggan, Cillian Lordan, Mark McNulty.

Referee: Derek Tomney.

Attendance: 1,600.