STEPHEN Kenny ended his Turner’s Cross hoodoo over the weekend as he led Derry City to a record-breaking 10th League Cup final triumph over Cork City before over 4,000 fans at the Curragh Road venue.
It was the first time in six attempts for Kenny to taste success with Derry on Leeside though he had won at the venue with Longford and Bohemians in the past.
Kenny, one of the most successful managers in the league, had star striker Eamon Zayed to thank for this latest success as he coolly slotted home a controversial 67th minute penalty after Gavin Kavanagh was harshly adjudged to have handled Kevin Deery’s goalbound shot.
First Division Cork who are chasing promotion, were unlucky not to go a goal up when Graham Cummins hit the post after 27 minutes and then Derry were denied by the woodwork six minutes later when Ruaidhri Higgins’ 30-yarder crashed back off the bar at the Shed-end.
The home side were denied a late equaliser when Gareth McGlynn scooped Kavanagh’s header off the line in the last quarter.
Zayed’s match-winning goal was the in-form striker’s 21st of the season and his first in six outings for the winners.