Cork City’s poor home form continued at Turner’s Cross on Friday night as Shelbourne took all three points from their Airtricity League Division 1 clash.
This loss was City’s third home defeat in a row, but there were signs there to indicate that they were unlucky not to come away from the game with a draw.
The heavy blanket of cloud over Cork, and the rain that came with it, meant the crowd of 1,170 was far less than attended the last time Shels visited Cork, when a Neale Fenn gave the home side a 1-0 victory in the penultimate game of the 2006 season.
City started brightly, Stephen Mulcahy unlucky to head over from a Cillian Lordan free as early as the fourth minute, and the home side would have the better of the first-half exchanges.
Gearoid Morrissey was looking lively in midfield while Graham Cummins was battling well, tracking back to good effect, though Michael Coburn at the heart of the Shels defence was doing his best to limit the striker’s effect.
On 13, Cummins lost Coburn to get on the end of a John Meade cross, but his header was over and in any case the flag was up for offside, while Davin O’Neill had a cross fizz across goal when any touch would surely have resulted in the lead goal.
Shortly after that, O’Neill played a lovely chip over the Shels defence for Cummins to run onto, but Dean Delaney produced a brilliant fingertip save for a corner.
Shels were not without their chances either though. David Cassidy wasn’t far away with an audacious attempt to lob Mark McNulty from near halfway early on and then just after the half-hour, Dinny Corcoran almost nipped in to go past McNulty but his effort from a tight angle hit the outside of the post.
City were stronger overall though, Cummins having another effort shortly before half-time when he rose above two defenders to reach an Eoghan Lougheed cross but his header was at Delaney at it remained scoreless at half-time.
Less than three minutes into the second half the deadlock was broken however as Shels took the lead. Dave McGill was the player who scored it, playing a nice one-two with Dinny Corcoran before finishing past McNulty.
City attempted to respond positively, Morrissey heading over from a Lordan corner, while Duggan played a beautiful ball over the top for Cummins and his low shot beat Delaney but also rolled agonisingly past the post.
The double substitution of Billy Woods and Gareth Cambridge for Lougheed and Morrissey brought about a change in formation to 4-4-2 and City continued to keep up the pressure, Woods having a long-range shot deflected over a few minutes after his introduction.
Despite being on the back foot, Shels were still proving dangerous on the break and in the 69th minute Brian Farrell almost doubled the lead, getting a flick to a Sean Burke free only for McNulty to pull off a great save for a corner.
That seemed to signal Shelbourne getting on top in the second period as they looked the more likely to get the game’s second goal as the end neared, creating a welter of chances from crosses which they could not convert.
The one-goal lead meant City were always still in it and they came very close on 80 as Cummins found Duggan with a great ball that he took on his chest en route to the penalty area but his progress was hindered by a fine sliding tackle from Sean Burke.
Unfortunately, it would prove to be as close as they would come, Shels defending stoutly for the remainder to claim the three points.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Horgan, Mulcahy, O’Halloran, Meade; Cillian Lordan, G Morrissey (Cambridge 58), Duggan; O’Neill (O’Sullivan 78), Cummins, Lougheed (Woods 58).
SHELBOURNE: Delaney; Clarke, Coburn, Ryan, Burke; Scully, Cassidy, McGill, Pinto; Corcoran, Farrell (Azimi 90).
Referee: R Rogers.
