Cork City 1 Dundalk 2:CORK CITY extended their winless run to six games at Turner's Cross last night as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Dundalk.

The wheels have come off Cork’s title challenge in spectacular fashion in recent weeks and Paul Doolin’s side played the majority of the game with 10 men following the first-half dismissal of Shane Duggan.

Cork started Alan O’Connor instead of Denis Behan in attack while for Dundalk, Darren Mansaram and Ger Rowe returned at the expense of Shaun Kelly and Michael Synnott.

Dundalk took the lead from the penalty spot in the 35th minute when goalkeeper Dan Connor clumsily bundled Declan O’Brien over in the Cork box. Chris Turner made no mistake from the resultant penalty.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side just four minutes later when they were reduced to 10 men, Shane Duggan being shown a second yellow card for dissent at referee Dick Hancock’s decision to award Dundalk a free.

Dundalk extended their lead on the stroke of half-time when Michael Daly latched on to Michael Coburn’s long ball over the top before finishing well to give Seán Connor’s side a 2-0 cushion at the interval.

In spite of Dundalk’s numerical advantage, Cork had more possession in the second-half and sub Behan struck a wonderful consolation goal in the 82nd minute.

CORK CITY:Connor; Sullivan, O'Halloran (Behan, half-time), Murray, Murphy; Lordan (O'Donnell, 57 mins), Healy, Duggan; O'Connor (Kuduzovic, 52 mins), Silagailis, Kiely.

DUNDALK: Bennion; Coburn, Burns (McGinlay, 85 mins), Kelly; O'Brien, Daly, Turner (Synnott, 63 mins), Heary, Mulvenna; Rowe, Mansaram.

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).