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Cork City 1 Sligo Rovers 0
Friday, 01 May 2009 07:37

FAZ Kuduzovic's first goal for his new club came against one of his old clubs and extended the home team's unbeaten run to eight games at Turner's Cross in Cork last night.

The match-winner arrived on 67 minutes when the Bosnian striker looped a header over Sligo 'keeper Richard Brush from Colin Healy's flighted cross into a congested penalty area.

It was a goal to win all three points for Paul Doolin's side as they stay in second place just three points behind Bohemians after 10 series of fixtures.

Sligo had Danny Ventre and Owen Morrison suspended but skipper Conor O'Grady was back in midfield after a leg injury kept him out of the Drogheda match.

Sligo, with one defeat in their last five games, were also missing Shaun Holmes, Sean Doherty, Stephen Parkhouse, Chris Butler and Mauro Almeida.

Sligo made a lively with Dan Connor saving from Romauld Boco early on before Danny Murphy on the overlap fed Billy Dennehy but his centre ran across the face of the goalmouth.

Murphy put in another great cross after 17 minutes but Kuduzovic headed over at the far post before Denis Behan toe-poked a half chance wide.

Cork were disrupted when left-winger Billy Dennehy was forced out with a hamstring mid-way through the first half to be replaced by Guntars Silagailis.

Joe Gamble had City's best chance on 26 minutes but side-footed Pat Sullivan's cross just over before Sligo defender  Jason Noctor was booked for a late tackle on Kuduzovic and, three minutes later, he was substituted with Danny Keoghane coming in at left-full.

Duggan blazed another chance over after Healy's deep cross was headed clear but the Limerick-born midfielder got under the bouncing ball.

A tight, tense game produced its first corner (to Sligo) after 41 minutes play and the teams left the park at half-time to lukewarm applause.

Shane Duggan and Colin Healy missed good openings for the home team early in the second half as Cork came more and more into the tie as they attacked the Shed-end.

Duggan missed a sitter on 53 minutes from Behan's pass and then Healy's drive from a Silagaliis pull-back was deflected out for a corner - Cork's first of the night - off Gavin Peers' back.

But Kuduzovic settled a tight, tense contest when he rose in a cluster of players to head home a historic winner.
Teams:

Cork City (4-3-3) - Connor; Sullivan, O'Halloran, Murray (capt), Murphy; Gamble, Healy, Duggan; Dennehy, Behan,  Kuduzovic.
Subs. Silagailis for Dennehy (injured 25 mins), Lordan for Kuduzovic (83 mins), Kiely, O'Connor & McNulty (not used)

Sligo Rovers (4-3-3) - Brush; Keane, Feeney, Peers, Noctor; Cash, Torpey, O'Grady (capt), Ryan; Cretaro, Boco.
Subs. Keoghane for Noctor (33 mins), McTiernan for Torpey (79 mins), Kelly (not used)

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin)
 
 
 
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