Stephen O’Donnell’s late equaliser denies former club Cork City third successive win

Dundalk midfielder’s goal adds to pressure on Cork manager Tommy Dunne

Stephen O’Donnell: equalised two minutes from time against former club. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.
Stephen O’Donnell: equalised two minutes from time against former club. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.

Cork City 2, Dundalk 2

An 88th-minute goal from former Cork City midfielder Stephen O'Donnell denied the hosts a third successive home win at Turner's Cross last night and added to the pressure on Cork manager Tommy Dunne.

Daryl Kavanagh’s 64th-minute penalty, after a foul on Daryl Horgan, looked to have given Cork victory, but chances to extend the lead were not taken and Dundalk made them pay.

They had got off to a great start as Ciarán Kilduff scored with a bicycle kick inside three minutes. Brian Gartland headed home to make it 1-1, and he looked to have repeated the trick on 35 only for Cork to be awarded a free.

Having gone in level at 1-1 at half-time, Cork began the second half well. When Daryl Horgan’s run into the box from the left was halted unfairly by John Sullivan, Kavanagh fired home from the spot.

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Once Cork regained the lead, they looked likelier winners, but O’Donnell had other ideas.

CORK CITY: McNulty; N Horgan, D Murray, Spillane, Murphy; Kavanagh (Turner 90), D Morrissey, Dunleavy, Buckley, D Horgan; Kilduff.

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Sullivan, Gartland, Rossiter, Massey (Shields half-time); Meehan, McCaffrey (Keegan 64), McDonnell (Kelly 59), O'Donnell, Byrne; Hoban.

Referee: R Rogers (Dublin).

Attendance: 1,670.