Cork City continue to ride high at the top of the Premier Division following a deserved draw against Derry City at the Brandywell yesterday.
But the point gained by the Leesiders sees Dave Barry's men move four points clear of St Patrick's Athletic, which clearly pleased the Cork manager.
"We knew Derry would be fired up for this game after their defeat last week, but our priority was to take advantage of Pat's defeat by Dundalk and I'm happy not only with the result, but with the fact that we've preserved our good record up here in recent seasons," said Barry.
Cork had to do it the hard way as Derry moved quickly into the driving seat thanks to an own goal after only seven minutes.
"That early goal unsettled us," continued Barry. "But it provided us with a test of character and I felt we overcame that. I was very disappointed with our first-half showing, but after a chat at halftime, Dave Hill and Derek Coughlan settled us at the back and we defended well from then onwards," he added.
Cork were clearly second best throughout the first half and while Derry opened the scoring with the game's first note-worthy incident, Kevin Mahon's side failed to build on that lead.
Marty McCann worked the ball down the left flank and when he found Michael McHugh with an incisive pass the Derry striker drilled it low across the face of the Cork goal. Mark Herrick was the unfortunate player to turn it high into his own net while under pressure from Eamon Doherty.
But Derry then missed two chances to increase their lead. Youngster Darren Kelly failed to hit the target with a free header before Gary Beckett spurned a glorious opportunity in the 29th minute.
Having been sent scampering by Liam Coyle, Beckett opted for the first-time shot in a one-on-one situation with the advancing Noel Mooney, but the shot was well parried by the goalkeeper at the expense of a corner.
Derry also lived dangerously at the back. Paul Curran and goalkeeper David Platt got into a mix-up in the 27th minute, as a result of which Platt failed to gather the ball and the alert John Caulfield toe-poked it against the post before Curran got back to clear.
Mooney again did well to parry a stinging Paul Hegarty drive in the 32nd minute while Curran's vital last-ditch challenge on Gerald Dobbs prevented the Cork striker getting a shot on goal just before the break.
Cork dominated the early exchanges during the second half with the towering Derek Coughlan, in particular, causing the home defence all sorts of problems, especially in set-piece situations.
In fact, Coughlan played a key role in creating Cork's equaliser in the 58th minute. A Kelvin Flanagan free on the right saw Coughlan rise unchallenged at the back post and as the ball floated back across the Derry goal, the unmarked Dobbs was perfectly positioned to divert it home from close range.
Derry had what appeared a justified claim for a penalty waved away by referee Hubert Byrne in the 60th minute when Beckett was sent tumbling inside the area when challenged by two defenders.
Mooney again denied the home side in the 70th minute when his one-handed save pushed Beckett's shot wide while McHugh really should have scored 10 minutes later.
Having successfully turned Cork defender Declan Daly, the Donegal man lashed an angled shot high over the crossbar when in the clear.
And, in the 83rd minute, Cork substitute Pat Morley could easily have stolen the points when he raced onto a through-ball but Platt dived courageously at the striker's feet to gather possession.
Derry City: Platt; D Kelly, Curran, Hutton, Hargan; Doherty, Hegarty, Beckett, McCann; Coyle, McHugh. Subs: M Kelly for Hargan (77 mins), Gauld for Beckett (94 mins).
Cork City: Mooney; Daly, Coughlan, Hill, Barry-Murphy; Flanagan, Herrick, Freyne, Cahill; Dobbs, Caulfield. Subs: O'Halloran for Flanagan (62 mins), Morley for Dobbs (74 mins).
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin).
