Cork pick up first points of season as Byrne goal proves decisive against Finn Harps

City are off the mark after a dramatic night at Turner’s Cross.

Cork City 1

Finn Harps 0

DENIS HURLEY reports from Turner’s Cross.

CORK CITY GOT their first points of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season as Alec Byrne’s goal early in the second half proved to be the winner against Finn Harps.

An attendance of 2,367 was present at Turner’s Cross for a game that wasn’t short of excitement despite the low scoreline, with first-half injury time providing a large dose of drama.

The visitors, with four points in their opening two games, had looked the likelier to score in the opening period, with Karl O’Sullivan drawing a good save from Liam Bossin early on.

When Bossin couldn’t hold Ruairí Harkin’s 46^th-minute shot, debutant striker Alex Kogler came barrelling in to turn the ball home and referee Neil Doyle initially awarded a goal, despite City protests and the fact that Bossin was prone on the ground. Following consultation with his assistant, Doyle changed his decision and awarded City a free kick, though it was another matter of minutes before Bossin was stretchered off, replaced by Mark McNulty.

In the second half, City were better, with Deshane Dalling on the left of their attack offering a creative spark as he twice went close, sending a low shot wide and then drawing a save from Mark Anthony McGinley. When a Dáire O’Connor cross led to a City corner on 55, Dylan McGlade’s delivery was headed home by Byrne.

It was nearly 2-0 just after that, O’Connor netting the rebound after Dalling’s long-range shot came back off the post, but the flag was up for offside. Kogler almost equalised for Harps midway through the second half but he was denied by a Ronan Hurley block on the line and David Webster had a late attempt for the visitors but he volleyed wide.

Cork City: Liam Bossin (Mark McNulty 45); Kyron Stabana (Charlie Fleming half-time), Joseph Olowu, Joe Redmond, Ronan Hurley; Alec Byrne, Henry Ochieng, Gearóid Morrissey; Dáire O’Connor, Dylan McGlade (Cian Murphy 88), Deshane Dalling.

Finn Harps: Mark Anthony McGinley; Shane McEleney, Kosovar Sadiki, Sam Todd; David Webster, Barry McNamee, Ruairí Harkin (Adrian Delap 90), Ryan Connolly, Mark Russell; Karl O’Sullivan (Cameron Saul 78), Alex Kogler (Raffaele Cretaro 78).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).