Bray Wanderers ... 1 Bohemians ... 1: Stephen Fox scored a superb late equaliser as Bray Wanderers' rediscovered resilience punished Bohemians by depriving the National League leaders of two points at Carlisle Grounds yesterday.
Even when they went a goal behind on 67 minutes, Bray survived a minor siege to strike back and salvage a draw they scarcely deserved nine minutes from time. Matt Britton received the ball back from his throw-in on the right to pick out Fox on the edge of the Bohemians area and the midfielder swivelled before drilling his low right-foot shot past the late dive of Ashley Bayes.
That cancelled out the lead goal of 12 minutes earlier, of which Bray defender Jody Lynch won't want reminding. Bohemians winger Mark Rutherford jinked free into the inside-right channel to cross to the back post where Lynch rose in front of Glen Crowe only to head the ball past his own goalkeeper, Matt Gregg.
Having levelled, it was Bray who might then have won the match with a promising opening in the final minute. Substitute Kieran O'Brien found himself put through on goal from Gregg's long clearance, but his shot came off the legs of Bayes before Damien Lynch hacked the loose ball out for a corner.
BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Lynch, Doohan, Tresson; Morgan (Long 18 mins), Fox (Brack 83 mins), Gormley, Keogh; O'Connor (O'Brien 75 mins), Byrne.
BOHEMIANS: Bayes; Lynch, Coughlan, McNally, Webb; Ryan, Harkin (O'Neill 87 mins), Hunt, Rutherford; Keegan, Crowe.
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
Bennett scores twice for Cork
Cork City ... 3 Derry City ... 1: Cork City maintained their lively form at Turner's Cross yesterday when Derry City were unable to prevent them from scoring three goals for the third consecutive league match at home.
Cork led as early as the sixth minute when Alan Bennett powerfully headed a corner kick from Billy Woods past goalkeeper Alan Gough. They went on to control the game and although Derry enjoyed a generous share of possession in the second half, they found themselves three down before substitute Sean Friars scored their only goal.
It was of little consolation to Derry who have now gone five league matches without a win.
Cork put the game beyond the visitors' reach with two goals in a two-minute spell in the second half. Bennett had his second after 63 minutes when Greg O'Halloran sent him clear. John O'Flynn capped an excellent performance when he took advantage of a typical piece of skilful play by George O'Callaghan to claim the third in the 65th minute.
Friars, who spent time with Liverpool and Ipswich Town before returning to his native Derry, showed lovely skill when he replied in the 69th minute from a retaken free.
CORK CITY; Devine; Carey, Napier, Cronin, Horgan; O'Halloran, Bennett, Reynolds (C T O'Brien 80 mins), Woods; O'Flynn (C P O'Brien 87 mins ), O'Callaghan.
DERRY CITY; Gough; McLaughlin, Darren Kelly, McCallion; Hutton, Martyn, Doherty, McGlynn (Friars 51 mins), Hargan; David Kelly, Beckett.
Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).
Frustrating day for Rovers
Shamrock Rovers ... 0 UCD ... 0: Shamrock Rovers were held scoreless at Tolka Park yesterday despite dominating this premier division encounter. A missed penalty from Sean Francis combined with some fine goalkeeping by UCD's Barry Ryan, made it a frustrating afternoon for Rovers who face Swedish side Djugarden in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.
Manager Liam Buckley had chosen to leave playmaker Marc Kenny on the bench while keeper Tony O'Dowd did not even make it in the subsitutes following a disappointing run between the posts. His replacement Robbie Horgan however had a very quiet afternoon with Rovers dominating from the start.
Playing three up front, Rovers gave the students' defence a torrid time in the first half with Tony Grant twice coming close. But after attempting an audacious overhead kick, the striker was forced to go off with a thigh strain.
It did not interrupt Rovers' momentum with Ryan having to produce his best to deny both Noel Hunt and Sean Francis.
But Ryan then upended Hunt inside the box on 58 minutes only for Francis to hit the right-hand upright. Pat Scully then had a goal disallowed in the closing stages and the home team's afternoon went from bad to worse when with three minutes remaining, Stephen McGuinness was dismissed after throwing an arm out at UCD striker Robert Doyle.
SHAMROCK ROVERS; Horgan; O'Keeffe, Scully, McGuinness, Doyle; Colwell, Costello, Byrne; Hunt, Francis (Keddy 70 mins), T Grant (S Grant 24 mins).
UCD: B Ryan; Mahon, Delaney, McDonnell, Davey; J Martin, Cawley, McNally, McAuley; Doyle, R Martin (Gallen 75 mins).
Referee: J Mc Dermott (Dublin)
Longford off the mark
Longford Town ... 2 Drogheda United ... 1: Longford Town's first home points of the season saw the Midlanders jump up to fourth position in the table on Saturday.
The home side went in front after 24 minutes when Eric Lavine received a pass from Alan Kirby before delightfully notching up his third league goal of the campaign
Nine-man Drogheda , who had Paddy Gollogly and Stuart Taylor sent off in an ill-tempered second half, , got back on terms just eight minutes from the finish when Andy Myler headed home Brian Kelly's cross. But Longford finished on top and substitute Seamus Crowe grabbed his first league goal for the club in the second minute of injury time.
LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien, Holt, Dillon, Silke, Ferguson, Mulvihill (Crowe 74 mins), Kirby, Sheridan (Murphy 24mins, Robinson 85 mins), Lavine, Savic, Prunty.
DROGHEDA UNITED: Rogers, O'Connor, Kelly, Lynch, Gollogly, Tierney (Quinless 84 mins), Gallagher, Taylor, Myler (Dunne 84 mins), O'Brien, Dempsey (Cronin 66 mins).
Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).
