Cork City swept confidently to the top of the eircom League Premier Division after a magnificent contest with Derry City at Turner's Cross.

 

Cork's win was a white-knuckle affair as Derry City battled bravely to overcome the disadvantage of having to play with ten players from the 52nd minute of a game that was packed with exciting football and goalmouth action.

 

Derry lost Mark McChrystal when he was shown a second yellow card after a foul on Cork's Colin Healy. It is a matter of speculation as to how negatively this may have impacted upon their prospects of cancelling out Cork's 40th minute goal but it certainly must have hurt them more than a 90th minute dismissal of Cork substitute Stephen O'Donnell.

 

Derry showed remarkable resilience in face of this set-back for they dominated the closing half-hour territorially. They were breathtakingly close to a dramatic equaliser in the fourth and final minute of added time when substitute James McLean succeeded in firing a shot into Cork's net, but their disappointment was complete when it was disallowed for offside.

 

Cork now lead the division by three points and while Bohemians will have an opportunity against Shamrock Rovers on Saturday of joining them at the top, Cork could feel well pleased with their victory and their overall performance.

 

Their first half, especially, was full of positive things. They were sharp and insistent in their passing, resolute in defence and with Denis Behan working very hard at centre-forward there was a pleasing symmetry in their general play.

 

Derry defended well, however, under persistent pressure; so well that goalkeeper Ger Doherty was never stretched. While Cork regularly bore down on goal, they found it difficult to penetrate Derry's back four so the goalkeeper was beaten only once and then when Cork capitalised upon a free kick.

 

The free was conceded needlessly by Ciaran Martyn when he went in late on Colin Healy near Cork's right-hand touchline and some 40 yards from goal. Healy himself spun the free to the far side of the penalty area where Greg O'Halloran rose to head the ball down and away from the advancing Doherty. Dan Murray was in quickly to get his head to the bouncing ball and ensure it hit the back of the net.

 

Earlier Cork looked to left-winger Kuduzovic to produce their scoring attempts and he threatened twice in the opening 15 minutes. His shot from 20 yards after eleven minutes was fractionally over and he was closer four minutes later with a shot from 22 yards that flew narrowly outside the far upright.

 

Derry had the more obvious scoring chances from much less possession. Indeed they were very close to claiming a goal within two minutes of kick-off when Sammy Morrow found lots of space in the heart of the penalty area but his shot from 15 yards was knocked away spectacularly as goalkeeper Dan Connor made a brilliant one-handed save.

 

Connor produced an even better save in the 28th minute when he made an improbable stop from Mark Farren. The striker was totally unmarked on the penalty spot as Morrow chipped a ball over the defence from the right wing. Farren powered a header for the top corner but Connor flew through the air to turn the ball outside for a corner.

 

The excitement and frantic action ensured the contest was rewarding for the 4,036 fans as both sides played pleasing football but in the middle of the action an incident occurred that had a bearing on the game. Mark McChrystal was shown a yellow card in the 18th minute when he was guilty of a late challenge on Colin Healy.

 

Healy was superb alongside Joe Gamble in an excellent Cork midfield and seven minutes into the second half he was again fouled by McChrystal in the centre circle. The yellow card McChrystal attracted was inevitably followed by a red.

 

Derry fought with a will to try and overcome the disadvantage of playing with ten for the closing 38 minutes and Cork spent long spells deep in defence in the closing minutes. They withdrew a forward, Silagalis, and introduced the more defensive Stephen O'Donnell for his home debut as they concentrated on protecting their slim lead.

 

The competitive edge to the game was always evident and yellow cards were shown to Cork's Gamble and Sullivan and to Derry's Ciaran Martyn and Eddie McCallion before the game ended in sensational fashion.

 

Cork were reduced to ten players in the 90th minute when substitute O'Donnell was red-carded for an offence that was not totally apparent. He was penalised in a defensive position near the touchline and obviously disputed the decision with the referee's assistant. The assistant called the referee and after a brief consultation O'Donnell was sent to the dressing-rooms.

 

There was still more drama as Derry fought for an equaliser. A sweeping attack on the right in the 94th and final minute of added time ended with a good cross which was touched on to substitute James McLean on the left. He fired the ball into the net but Derry's celebrations were cut short as he was flagged for offside.

 

Cork City: Connor; Sullivan, Mezeckis (Kiely 51), Murray, O'Halloran; Lordan, Healy, Gamble; Silagalis (O'Donnell 74), Behan, Kuduzovic.

 

Derry City: Doherty; McCallion, Hutton, McChrystal, Gray; Deery, Molloy (Higgins 74), Martyn; Farren (McLean 74), Morrow (McManus 46), Stewart.

 

Referee: Mr. D. Hanney (Dublin).