Soccer

John O’Flynn keeps Cork City firmly in touch at the top

Striker’s early goal enough to nick the points at Derry’s expense at the Brandywell

Derry’s Shaun Kelly and Cork’s Josh O’Shea in action at the Brandywell last night. Photo: Russell Pritchard/Iinpho
Derry’s Shaun Kelly and Cork’s Josh O’Shea in action at the Brandywell last night. Photo: Russell Pritchard/Iinpho
Fri Aug 15 2014 - 22:50

Derry City 0 Cork City 1

Striker John O’Flynn’s early goal gave Cork City a vital victory at the the Brandywell last night as the visitors maintained their title pursuit.

O’Flynn’s 13th minute strike kept his side in contention with Dundalk at the top of the table, the man from Cobh netting ed his first goal for Cork following his return from Exeter City.

Michael Duffy, Danny Ventre and Philip Lowry all managed to get shots on target during the early stages but Cork keeper, Mark McNulty, was not seriously troubled.

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O’Flynn then stunned the attendance of 2,200 when breaking deadlock with a well -worked goal.

Following a Dan Murray clearance from defence, Mark O’Sullivan chested the ball into the path of Josh O’Shea whose teasing cross was met by the advancing O’Flynn who fired home with his right foot.

Cork continued to push on and in the 21st minute O’Flynn got another shot on target but keeper, Gerard Doherty, parried the ball around the post.

Two minutes later Derry’s Pat McEleney failed to get the necessary power into his shot when well-placed. Then Barry McNamee played Jarvis in but his shot was superbly blocked by Mark McNulty.

Stephen Dooley was next to try his luck in the 34th minute but again the Cork City keeper saved the shot.

The home side continued to pressurise and McEleney fired over from 18 yards.

Derry should have levelled in the 64th minute. McEleney found new signing, Shaun Kelly, but the full-back blasted the ball into the side netting.

McNulty saved superbly to deny McEleney 79th minute free kick while Mark Timlin’s effort skimmed off the crossbar with a shot-cum-cross in the 89th minute.

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Kelly (Boyle, 74), Byrne, Barry, Jarvis (Timlin, 80); Ventre (Curran, 90), McNamee; Dooley, Lowry, Duffy; McEleney.

CORK CITY: McNulty; Lenihan, Murray, Dennehy, Gaynor; Dunleavy, G. Morrissey; O'Shea (McSweeney, 80), Kearney (D. Morrissey, 66), O'Flynn (Kavanagh, h/t); O'Sullivan.

Referee: D Tomney (Dublin).