Dennehy seals second spot for City
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
BOHEMIANS…………………………………… 0
CORK CITY……………………………………… 1
BILLY DENNEHY was the match-winner for Cork City at Dalymount Park last night, as his 83rd minute penalty helped John Caulfield’s charges to secure second spot in the SSE Airtricity League Division table.
Ahead of their eagerly-anticipated FAI Cup final date with Dundalk tomorrow week, a successful end to their league campaign would ensure that Cork City were runners-up in the top flight for a second consecutive season.
However, the hosts were not short of motivation themselves, as a triumph against the Leesiders – coupled with a defeat for St Patrick’s Athletic away to Galway United – would lead to the return of European football to the Phisboro venue in 2016.
Towering centre-forward Ismahil Akinade signed a new contract with Bohs before the game, and he proved to be a handful for the City back-four during the opening moments.
City netminder Mark McNulty was also forced to tip an overhit Anto Murphy cross over the bar on nine minutes, before Bohs suffered a significant injury set-back with just 13 minutes gone on the clock.
Former Turner’s Cross favourite Dave Mulcahy (who enjoyed two spells with Cork) was withdrawn from the action, but with Karl Sheppard and Mark O’Sullivan living off scraps at times, the Gypsies initially coped well in his absence.
The expertise of McNulty were once again required when Lorcan Fitzgerald attempted to get on the end of an Eoin Wearen through-ball three minutes later, and the lively Bohs full-back was also narrowly off-target from a 25-yard free-kick.
The industrious Wearen had a decent opportunity of his own following excellent build-up play by the increasingly-prominent Fitzgerald, but as the half wore on, City were becoming more of a threat in the final third.
Bohs custodian Dean Delany comfortably stopped a Karl Sheppard shot just past the half-hour mark, and the experienced home shotstopper was almost deceived by Stephen Beattie’s low strike from a 40th minute set-piece on the left-wing.
The Cork midfield was weakened by the departure of the injured Liam Miller after 35 minutes (which is a major concern for the Leesiders moving towards the upcoming Aviva showpiece), but Dan Murray and Sheppard almost broke the deadlock from a goalmouth scramble three minutes before the interval.
Sheppard was starting to make a big impact on the proceedings, and when he got in behind the Bohs rearguard in stoppage-time, he fired agonisingly past the post.
With the sies level at the break, the announcement of half-time scores from the games involving Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers (Rovers were aiming to leapfrog ), the tension increased in the second period.
City were struggling to build on the attacking momentum generated late in the opening half, and they were forced on the back-foot after the restart.
Impressive pressing from Bohs kept the away team on their toes, and when winger Keith Buckley unleashed a delicate chip from distance beyond the hour mark, McNulty produced an acrobatic fingertip save.
The travelling City faithful breathed a huge sigh of relief following this intervention by McNulty, and a number of Bohs players almost got on the end of a fierce Fitzgerald drive 67 minutes in.
The introduction of former Republic of Ireland international Colin Healy added an extra dimension to the City play, however, and after the ball had broken just inside the Bohs box 17 minutes from the end, captain John Dunleavy was denied by the outstretched arms of Delany.
A thumping O’Sullivan header was also brilliantly headed off the line by Keith Buckley.
On 83 minutes came the breakthrough. Referee Neil Doyle pointed to the spot after Murphy was adjudged to have handled in the area, and Billy Dennehy coolly fired beyond Delany.
BOHEMIANS: Dean Delany; Dylan Hayes (Jason Byrne 79), Dave Mulcahy (Derek Prendergast 13), Anto Murphy, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Keith Buckley, Eoin Wearen, Roberto Lopes, Jake Kelly (Adam Evans 84); Paddy Kavanagh; Ismahil Akinade.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, John Dunleavy, Dan Murray, Ross Gaynor; Liam Miller (Darren Dennehy 35), Stephen Beattie, Kevin O’Connor; Billy Dennehy (Chiedozie Ogbene 88), Mark O’Sullivan, Karl Sheppard (Colin Healy 72).
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).