Derry City midfielder and talisman Barry McNamee fired home early with a sweet left foot
TEN-man Cork City showed why they are champions elect as they beat Derry City 2-1 tonight.
But the Candy Stripes almost grabbed a late equaliser only to be denied by the post at Maginn Park.
It was a night of missed chances for Derry who were denied goals either by the woodwork or Cork’s goalkeeper.
Barry McNamee gave the home side the lead early in the first half raising hopes of a return to winning ways for Kenny Shiels’ men.
However, two super goals from Karl Sheppard and Gearoid Morrissey meant the Leesiders grabbed the three points won their 18th league game of the season.
The woodwork came to the visitors’ rescue on 12 minutes as Ronan Curtis’ 20-yard-drive, which had keeper Mark McNulty beaten, rattled the post before flashing across the line and being cleared by Kevin O’Connor.
Moments later, a Garry Buckley neat flick fell to Stephen Dooley at the back post, but the ex-Derry winger saw his close range strike bravely kept out by City keeper Gerard Doherty.
Derry deservedly broke the deadlock on 17 minutes as Patterson’s clever flick on found Barry McNamee who bypassed McCormack before rifling a sweet left-footed strike from the edge of the box past McNulty.
Cork showed their ruthless streak on 30 minutes when they equalised.
A misplaced pass by McNamee’s strayed into the path of Sean Maguire and his first-time ball released Karl Sheppard, who made no mistake scored past keeper Doherty.
The home side should have regained the lead on 35 minutes but Curtis ballooned the ball over the bar, after Nathan Boyle’s right wing centre had picked out the unmarked Republic of Ireland U21 international.
That scare seemed to waken the visitors up and they went in front in sublime fashion on 37 minutes as Dooley skipped in from the left hand touch-line before feeding Gearoid Morrissey, whose 25-yard-drive flew high into Doherty’s top left-hand corner.
Twice in the closing stages of the first half Dooley had two super chances to increase Cork’s lead but Doherty and then defender Conor McDermott denied him.
The Rebel Army had to defend for long periods of the second half and they were reduced to ten men on 65 minutes after Keohane was sent-off when he fouled Curtis and picked up his second yellow card inside five minutes.
City really went at Cork after the red card and but the never-say-die attitude from the visitors meant Kenny Shiels’ side were frustrated for long periods.
In the closing stages, Derry substitute Mark Timlin’s first touch was a shot from the edge of the box that was saved by McNulty.
And McNulty was called into action again on 92 minutes when he did well to parry away Patterson’s snap-shot.
Meanwhile, it was bad night all round in the North West with Finn Harps going down 4-0 to Dundalk in Co Louth.
Derry City’s trip to Finn Harps next Friday, June 30, has been postponed with the Candystripes set to travel to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.
A new date for the North West derby has yet to be announced.
Derry City: Doherty, Monaghan (Schubert 76), McDermott (Timlin 85), Barry, Jarvis; McEneff, Low; Boyle, McNamee, Curtis; Patterson.
Cork City: McNulty, Keohane, McCormack, Delaney, O’Connor; Buckley, Bolger (Griffin 71), Morrissey; Dooley, Maguire, Sheppard.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)
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