Cork City 0, Dundalk 0 : Cork City can thank goalkeeper Michael Devine for saving them a point they scarcely deserved as they were outplayed by Dundalk at Turner's Cross yesterday.
Devine was outstanding as Dundalk played some sparkling football and wiped out whatever lingering hopes Cork City had of figuring in the championship race this season.
Instead, it was Dundalk who looked capable of giving League leaders Shelbourne a run for their money and they must have been mystified as to how they failed to take all three points, especially when they need them so badly if they are to avoid relegation.
"We would not have deserved to win that match" said Cork City manager Liam Murphy.
"Goalkeeper Michael Devine kept us in the game when Dundalk were playing better than us and they did not look like a team struggling in the basement of the League."
Dundalk centre forward Gary Haylock went close after just 10 minutes when a clever throw from David Hoey sent him inside Derek Coughlan to strike a volley against the upright and they continued to make scoring chances with a facility Cork could not match.
Haylock's partner, Martin Reilly, should have capitalised on Dundalk's superior football for he faced goalkeeper Devine in one-on-one contests three times in the second half only to be denied each time.
He beat Devine, however, with a header from James Keddy's corner in the 75th minute only to see Pat Morley make the goal-line clearance.
"Fair play to Martin Reilly; he went in there again and again when another player might have chickened out," said Ollie Ralph, Dundalk's assistant manager. He was taking charge as manager Martin Murray was prevented from travelling by illness.
"We played very well but failed to take our chances today but at least we did not make any mistakes."
CORK CITY: Devine; Daly, Coughlan, Napier, Horgan; Buckley (Carey), O'Grady, Bennett, Cahill; C P O'Brien (O'Flynn 81), Morley (Hartigan 81).
DUNDALK: Connolly; Hoey, McGuinness, Broughan, Crawley; Kavanagh, Flanagan, Lawless (Lawless 90), Keddy; Haylock, Reilly (Ryan 90).
Referee: J Stacy (Westmeath)
