Cork City - 1 Derry City - 0 Cork City maintained their third-place position in the league thanks to a lone goal from Kevin Doyle 10 minutes from time at Turner's Cross last night.But Cork were hugely relieved to take all three points as Derry - who now drop to the foot of the table - bombarded the home defence in the closing five minutes.

Twice in that nervous time they had glorious chances of saving the game, but Gareth McGlynn and Ciaran Martyn both managed to shoot wide when they were left with a clear sight of goalkeeper Michael Devine.

It was an extraordinary finish to a match that had lacked excitement as Derry settled for a heavily defensive formation.

Cork did go close when Dan Murray reached a free-kick from Ryan Casey and nodded the ball to Kevin Doyle. The Irish under-20 international had to turn away from goal to reach the ball and hooked it over the bar from 12 yards.

Cork were without the injured Liam Kearney and Colin T O'Brien while manager Pat Dolan made two other changes from the team beaten by Waterford United. Greg O'Halloran and Denis Behan were relegated to the bench as Cork fielded a new centre-forward pairing in 19-year-old Jamie Nolan and George O'Callaghan.

Derry caused Cork problems in breakaway attacks. Gary Beckett went close in the 36th minute when he took a pass from Robert Hedderman just outside the penalty box, and as Cork retreated he had time to turn and set himself for a shot from 22 yards which was turned over by goalkeeper Devine.

Cork's second-half determination paid off when Neal Horgan crossed from the right for Doyle to head over the head of goalkeeper Gough to give Cork their narrow win.

CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan, Coughlan, Murray, Woods; Doyle, O'Grady (Bennett 85), Nwankwo, Casey; Nolan (Behan 88), O'Callaghan.

DERRY CITY : Gough; Deery (Mullan 84), Simms, McCallion, McLaughlin, Hedderman; McGlynn (Molyneaux 88), Doherty, Martyn, Holt (Farren 84); Beckett.

Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).