Kelvin Flanagan displayed admirable nerve to earn Cork City a point they never deserved from an 87th-minute penalty.

The Cork midfielder's late strike ruined the prodigal return to Dalymount of Brendan Markey, who had given Bohemians their fully deserved 63rd-minute lead, six minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Markey, given a month's contract to prove himself in a third spell back at the club, punished hesitancy between Cork goalkeeper Noel Mooney and Stephen Napier to shoot Bohemians in front.

Mooney then kept Cork in the game with a great stop from Glen Crowe before Shaun Maher brought down Cork's debutant striker James Mulligan inside the area on 87 minutes. Flanagan kept his head to slot the ball into the corner.

Mooney then excelled again in the last minute to tip away a terrific shot from Dave Morrison as Cork held onto their point and joint leadership of the table.

A fitful first half came to life only sporadically, but not sufficiently to provide a goal or two despite several clearcut openings.

Dave Hill might have sent a reminder to the club that released him in the summer that he was still very much alive and kicking, but the Bohemians defender headed wide from an Anthony Hopper corner after just three minutes.

Mulligan looked lively and keen to impress on his debut but just failed to connect to a superb cross from the left by Ollie Cahill in a Cork riposte.

The game generally went asleep for some 20 minutes thereafter, before Stephen Caffrey set up Dave Morrison who shot over Noel Mooney's crossbar just after the half-hour.

BOHEMIANS: Russell; O'Connor, Hill, Maher, Webb; Hopper, Hunt, Caffrey, Morrison; Crowe, O'Neill. Subs: Markey for O'Neill (57 mins.), Williamson for Hopper (90 mins.).

CORK CITY: Mooney; Horgan, Daly, Napier, Delaney; O'Brien, Herrick, Flanagan, Cahill; Mulligan, Morley. Subs: Freyne for O'Brien (67 mins.), Caulfield for Morley (84 mins.), O'Halloran for Mulligan (90 mins.).

Referee: J. Stacey (Athlone).