- Dave Donnelly
- Sun, Apr 16 2017
Karl Sheppard's wonderstrike five minutes before half time set Cork City on their way to a 2-0 victory over Bohemians on Friday night and a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier Division.
Garry Buckley added the insurance goal in the dying minutes as John Caulfield's Rebel Army set a Premier Division record of nine wins from nine, but they were second-best for long periods.
Indeed, Keith Long's stout Bohemians side could well feel aggrieved at the manner of Sheppard's 40th-minute opener, coming as it did moments after Georgie Poynton appeared to be fouled by Conor McCormack in the act of shooting while one-on-one with City keeper Mark McNulty.
If there was some doubt about the lead-up to Cork's opening goal, there was little to criticise about the quality of Sheppard's strike as he picked his spot in the top corner, leaving Gypsies keeper Shane Supple with no chance.
Bohs can have little complaint about the defending that led to Sheppard's strike, however, as they let the ball bounce in the six-yard box, while the former Shamrock Rovers striker had scored a near-identical volley against Drogheda just five weeks ago.
The half-time deficit was scant reward for Bohemians' first half performance, though, as the Gypsies had looked the more threatening for much of the early period and created the game's best chances to that point.
20-year-old Fuad Sule, a winter recruit from St Patrick's Athletic, had put in a dominant midfiel performance in just his second Premier Division start, nipping any positive midfield play from Cork in the bud and displaying an intelligent range of passing.
His midfield partner, Oscar Brennan, forced two early saves from McNulty, the second a rasping left-footed drive that the veteran stopper did well to tip over the top after a fine set-up from winger Paddy Kavanagh.
While Bohemians enjoyed dominance in midfield with Sule, Brennan and Dundalk loanee Georgie Poynton comfortabe in possession and incisive in intent, Caulfield's side were forced to resort to route one tactics.
That yielded dividends for the visitors, and they had two first-half penalty shouts turned down, first when Maguire went down under Shane Supple's attention and again when the keeper leapt to beat Sheppard to Gearóid Morrissey's impeccably-weighted diagonal.
Both shouts were correctly waved away by referee Ben Connolly, but the home side had more cause for complaint when first Poynton, and then Kaleem Simon, seemed to be clipped while one-on-one with the keeper.
That decision was to prove decisive as, mere moments later, Jimmy Keohane won a corner off Lorcan Fitzgerald and, when Bohs failed to clear, Sheppard scored the second world-class goal into the Dalymount Shed in as many games after Conan Byrne's effort two weeks ago.
The first half ended on a sour note as Brennan beat Buckley in a 50/50 that saw the ball cannon off the Cork midfielder's midriff, which momentarily put the Corkman off his normally calm demeanour.
The ball broke to Derek Pender on the right wing and Buckley arrived high and late on the Bohemians skipper, leaving the Dubliner holding his knee in some pain, and the midfielder was fortunate that Connolly produced only a yellow card.
The hosts refused to be bowed by their visitors taking the lead against the run of play, however, and they continued to play the more adventurous and progressive football into the second half.
Poynton was left holding his head after spurning a glorious chance to level when played in by Brennan. He easily outstripped Kevin O'Connor and bore in on McNulty, but the ageless keeper stood up firmly to divert Poynton's shot wide.
Caulfield, who had earlier brought on attacking winger Steven Beattie for the injured full-back Keohane, reversed course with the introduction of defender Shane Griffin for Stephen Dooley as he looked to hold what he had against an opponent in the ascendency.
The more balanced shape reaped dividends five minutes from the end when the outstanding Sheppard broke forward on the left, beat Pender for pace and pulled the ball towards the penalty spot only for Buckley to shoot straight at Supple.
Buckley would have the final say, however, as Dan Byrne attempted to shepherd the ball out of play only to be outfoxed by the otherwise quiet Sean Maguire, and the midfielder tapped the ball home from inside the six-yard box.
Bray Wanderers' win over Dundalk in Oriel Park sees the Rebel Army move nine points clear at the top over the aforementioned duo and on course to finish the first series of games with a flawless record.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Dan Byrne, Rob Cornwall, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Oscar Brennan, Georgie Poynton (Steven Nolan 86), Fuad Sule (Ian Morris 75), Keith Ward (Jamie Hamilton 65), Patrick Kavanagh; Kaleem Simon.
Subs not used: Greg Murray (gk), Dylan Hayes, Philip Gannon, Eoghan Morgan.
Booked: None.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Jimmy Keohane (Steven Beattie 53), Ryan Delaney, Alan Bennett, Kevin O'Connor; Conor McCormack, Garry Buckley (Greg Bolger 89), Gearóid Morrissey; Karl Sheppard, Stephen Dooley (Shane Griffin 81), Sean Maguire.
Subs not used: Alan Smith (gk), John Kavanagh, Achille Campion, Connor Ellis.
Booked: Garry Buckley (45), Conor McCormack (74).
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
Attendance: 2,124 (official).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Fuad Sule (Bohemians).
