Following a run of three straight defeats, Cork City manager Frank Kelleher was delighted to get some points on the board in their SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division clash with DLR Waves at the UCD Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

After consecutive losses at the hands of Shelbourne, Bohemians and Wexford, City were seeking to come away from the south Dublin venue with a positive result.

DLR – the league’s basement side – did open the scoring through Aisling Meehan, before Christina Dring’s headed finish from a Lauren Homan corner on the stroke of half-time ultimately ensured that the Leesiders claimed a 1-1 draw.

“It’s [great] to get points on the board. It stops the losing run, which was the most important thing for us today really. I think it was a 50/50 game.

“I don’t think there was much in it between the two teams,” Kelleher remarked.

“It was good for us to come back, going 1-0 behind. I was delighted with the response from the players, I thought they worked incredibly hard in very hot conditions. I was thrilled with that.”

Dring’s goal in first half stoppage-time was her third of the Premier Division season to date – her previous two coming in a 4-0 victory over Sligo Rovers on March 15.

Kelleher felt her latest goal was just reward for an impressive performance from the City striker and following his frustration at the concession of goals from set-pieces in recent encounters, he was delighted to see the tables were turned on this occasion.

“That [Dring’s goal] completely changed the half-time team talk, I can tell you! Chris, she ran her legs off today. She was excellent, going up and going back. She’s a very direct player and it was a great header.

“We didn’t concede from a set-piece today, so I’m delighted about that as well. I think scoring from a set, we work them a lot in training.

“That movement that Chris makes, that is a movement that we practice. I was delighted, but not to concede from a corner today, I’ll have a glass of wine based on that tonight now!”

While City won’t return to league action until a June 14 showdown at home to Galway United, this weekend will see them travelling to Belfast for an All-Island Cup Group C encounter against Cliftonville.

The Leesiders will also face Galway in the same competition on June 7, but Kelleher is particular pleased to have a trip up north to prepare for.

“I think it’s great that they’ve had this competition. It wasn’t there when I was previously manager and I think it’s wonderful to go and test yourself against the Irish league.

“We’ll go up there confident enough and we’ve an overnight stay with the players. It will be nice for them to experience that as well, going up and playing in Belfast,” Kelleher added.