Cork City 4
Drogheda United 1
FOUR SECOND HALF goals, including a Billy Dennehy hat-trick, turned things around for Cork City against Drogheda United at Turner’s Cross tonight.
A second win in four nights, coming on the back of Friday’s victory over Sligo Rovers, leaves last year’s Premier Division runners-up four points behind leaders Dundalk, though with a game in hand, but for a while it looked like they might drop points.
Drogheda had taken the lead in the ninth minute after goalkeeper Micheál Schlingermann reacted quickly upon claiming a Colin Healy corner. He launched the ball downfield to former City man Daryl Kavanagh, who passed across to Cathal Brady and he in turn squared to Lee Duffy to finish.
City were brighter for the remainder of the first half, but Karl Sheppard, Mark O’Sullivan and Gavan Holohan all had shots saved by the excellent Schlingermann and Drogheda remained ahead at half-time.
Dennehy levelled early in the second half after he curled home a free kick and from there it was all one-way traffic. The winger turned creator to send over the corner for Sheppard to meet to make it 2-1 and then the sending-off of Drogheda midfielder Shane Dunne made their task tougher.
They were reduced to nine when Alan Byrne was given a second yellow card for being adjudged to handle a Garry Buckley shot in the area. Dennehy stroked home the penalty and then, in the final minute of injury time, he claimed the match ball with a low shot from just inside the area.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; John Kavanagh, Dan Murray, Darren Dennehy, Kevin O’Connor; Colin Healy, Liam Miller (Garry Buckley 79); Billy Dennehy, Gavan Holohan, Karl Sheppard (Danny Morrissey 69); Mark O’Sullivan (Liam Kearney 83).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Micheál Schlingermann; Michael Daly, Alan Byrne, Joe Gorman, Jason Marks; Shane Dunne, Mark Hughes; Cathal Brady (Carl Walshe 64), Daryl Kavanagh, Lee Duffy (Tiernan Mulvenna 82); Seán Brennan (Seán Thornton 37).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
– First published 22.04, 11 May
