Cork City 1 St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Sub Josh O’Hanlon earned Cork City a point but their hopes of retaining the Premier Division title suffered a blow against St Patrick’s Athletic at Turner’s Cross on Sunday night.
O’Hanlon headed in fellow sub Gearóid Morrissey’s cross in the 83rd minute after Dean Clarke had put Pat’s ahead 11 minutes into the second half. While they avoided a first home defeat in the league, the result leaves them level on points with Dundalk, who have two games in hand.
In a lacklustre first half, Pat's had the best chance as Clarke's shot was parried by Mark McNulty after the half-hour, with Ryan Brennan sending the rebound over.
It remained scoreless at half-time and City had more endeavour on the resumption, but Pat's struck on 53 minutes. Conan Byrne's free kick was helped on by former City man Achille Campion and Clarke finished after Mark McNulty saved his first effort.
Conan Byrne was unlucky not to make it 2-0, McNulty saving his header from Clarke's cross.
City brought on Morrissey and O'Hanlon as they went 4-4-2 and the latter headed wide from a Shane Griffin cross on 80 minutes.
Pat’s remained dangerous on the break and another former City man in the Saints’ ranks, sub Ian Turner, was unlucky when Ian Bermingham’s cross rebounded off him rather than falling nicely. Turner was then almost in from Simon Madden’s pass but McNulty was alert to the danger and cleared.
That was on 82 minutes and a minute later the home side were level. When John Dunleavy – on for the injured Steven Beattie – found Morrissey, he carried the ball forward and his cross was met by O'Hanlon at the near post.
CORK CITY: McNulty; Beattie (Dunleavy, 78 mins), Delaney, McLoughlin, Griffin; McCormack (Morrissey, 63 mins), Keohane (O'Hanlon, 63 mins); Sheppard, Buckley, Sadlier; Cummins.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: B Clarke; Madden, Desmond, Toner, Bermingham; Lennon, Clifford; Byrne, R Brennan (K Brennan, 90 mins), D Clarke (Markey, 73 mins); Campion (Turner, 70 mins).
Referee: R Hennessy (Clare).
Attendace: 3,296
