FAI Eircom League of Ireland Premier Division

Cork City 1
Sligo Rovers 0

By Keith O’Dwyer
At Turner’s Cross

Sligo Rovers’ recent unbeaten run in the league came to an end last Friday night, as they were beaten 1-0 by Cork City in Turner’s Cross.
Dave Mooney – the league’s top scorer last season when at Longford Town - scored the game’s only goal with a cracking strike after just nine minutes, as Rovers, who never really got going, finished the game with nine men.
Defenders Jamie McKenzie and Chris Butler were sent-off in the second-half, both after picking up two yellow cards.
The game was slow starting but it was Rovers who caught on the hop when Mooney shot home.
He received a pass from George O’Callaghan and made space for a shot from 20 yards, that flew into the top corner, giving Bit O’ Red keeper Richard Brush no chance.
This put Cork firmly in control, although Rovers weren’t completely out of the game as both Romuald Boco and Fahrudin Kudozovic had shots off target.
Liam Kearney should have done better for Cork in the 34th minute. Mooney won the ball on the right and played it back to O’Callaghan, who squared it to the former Shelbourne man, only for Kearney to blast over.
Two minutes later the home side went close again as John O’Flynn headed over from a Neal Horgan cross.
The Rebels started the second-half as they finished the first and created another good opening in the 50th minute. O’Callaghan chipped in a free from the left, which was headed narrowly over by Cork captain Dan Murray.
They had another opening in the 59th minute when Mooney crossed from the left into the box where O’Flynn was off-target with an acrobatic effort.
Rovers manager Paul Cook made just alteration to the side beaten by Galway United midweek, with captain Conor O’Grady coming in for the absent Anto Murphy as Gavin Peers remained absent through injury.
And the Rovers boss made a double change in the 57th minute as his side looked to get a foothold in the game. Alan Moore and Matthew Judge came on for Brian Cash and Boco.
Their chances of making an impact and Rovers’ chances of getting anything from the game were effectively ended in the 62nd minute as McKenzie received his marching orders after picking up his second yellow. He was adjudged to have dived for a penalty but television replays showed he had been clipped by Darragh Ryan.
Cork again went close to scoring a second in the 77th minute. Kearney played the ball into the feet of Mooney, who laid it off for O’Callaghan, but his resulting shot was too high.
Rovers’ misery was further compounded in the 90th minute as Butler was sent-off after picking up two bookings in the space of a minute.

Best for Rovers: Danny Ventre.
Cork City: Michael Devine, Neal Horgan, Darragh Ryan, Dan Murray, Joe Gamble, John O’Flynn (Denis Behan 78), George O’Callaghan, Colin Healy, Pat Sullivan, Liam Kearney, Dave Mooney.
Subs not used: Cillian Lordan, Mark McNulty, Darren Murphy, Alan O’Connor.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush, Seamus Coleman, Chris Butler, Jamie McKenzie, Mauro Almeida, Conor O’Grady, Brian Cash (Alan Moore 57), Danny Ventre, Romuald Boco (Matthew Judge 57), Fahrudin Kudozovic, Raffaele Cretaro (Gary Curran 74).
Subs not used: Keith Foy, Patrick Jennings.
Referee: Declan Hanney.