Bohemians 1 Cork C 0:DINNY CORCORAN made it a very good Friday for Bohemians, scoring their first goal of the season to lift them off the foot of the table. After almost 500 minutes of football, Corcoran struck right on the blow of the half-time.
Strike partner Dave Scully flicked on captain Owen Heary’s long ball for the run of Corcoran. The tall frontrunner held off Dan Murray to wrong-foot goalkeeper Mark McNulty with a low shot that brought a massive roar of relief from the main stand.
The only sour note on the night for Bohemians was a straight red card for Scully for a lunging tackle on John Dunleavy on 86 minutes.
Hoping to end their goal drought, Bohemians manager Aaron Callaghan started with an attacking 3-4-3 formation. And it almost reaped an early reward after just four minutes. Karl Moore picked out the run of Luke Byrne with a diagonal ball. But the 18-year-old winger sliced wide. The City defence fell for the same Moore ball on 18 minutes. This time their relief came from Scully planting his header wide.
In-between, City did have a shout for a penalty when Tadhg Purcell tumbled under a Keith Ward challenge but referee Pádraig Sutton was having none of it.
But Bohs maintained their bright start with Ward letting fly from distance and McNulty had to get down sharply to his left.
Cork created their first real opening on 35 minutes. Gearóid Morrissey’s ball dropped in behind Heary who was happy to see Davin O’Neill scuff his shot. Corcoran then had the ball in the Cork net two minutes later, but it was ruled out for a push by Scully.
Corcoran’s next strike did count in the final seconds of the half with Bohemians remaining the better side into the second half.
Colin Healy had an early chance for Cork but tamely directed John Dunleavy’s cross into the arms of McNulty.
Back at the other end, desperate defending initially thwarted Corcoran on 55 minutes before the impressive Byrne set up Ward who was just off target with a shot from the edge of the area.
Ward put a super ball into the area for Corcoran to get a touch, only to see the ball flash wide of McNulty’s right-hand post.
Clever feet and a weaving run from Moore opened up Cork again on 75 minutes, but he fired his shot wide.
BOHEMIANS: McNulty; Heary, Mulcahy, McMillan; Pender, Martin, Ward (Traynor, 71 mins), L Byrne; Moore (Harney, 90+4 mins), Corcoran (D Byrne, 81 mins), Scully.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Dunleavy, Murray, Spillane (J Murphy, 83 mins), D. Murphy; G Morrissey, Healy (C Lordan, 77 mins.), Duggan, Horgan; O’Neill, Purcell (Sullivan, 83 mins)
Referee: Pádraig Sutton (Clare).
