THE MIDWAY POINT of the season is usually the stage at which points become more important than any sense of progress, but new Cork City manager Ger Nash can successfully walk the line between both after his first home game in charge ended in a 1-1 draw with champions Shelbourne.
City were much the better team in the first-half but could only score shortly after the break through Sean Maguire and, in a familiar scene, it was a lead to which they could not hold on, undone by Ali Coote’s terrific long-range equaliser with 20 minutes remaining.
But from there they hung obdurately to their point, with Shels lacking any cutting edge to truly make the Shed sweat. The result leaves City one point clear of bottom-of-the-league Sligo Rovers, but a yawning 10 points from absolute safety and Waterford in eighth place. Shels, meanwhile, have run aground: they’ve won just two of their last 10 games and have slipped nine points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. Nash will head for the mid-season break in a much happier mood than Damien Duff.
Nash had the luxury of starting Sean Maguire for the first time in over two months. Nash matched Duff in selecting a back three, with Maguire notionally playing off the left with Djenairo Daniels leading the line and Cathal O’Sullivan dancing in off the right flank.
But with left wing-back Joshua Fitzpatrick pushing very high and effectively into City’s front line whenever they had possession, Maguire tucked in to play much more centrally.
City were flexible in their set-up and varied in their play, unafraid to scramble Shels’ brains by playing quickly and in behind. Much of this play was cleanly orchestrated by Evan McLaughlin in the Cork midfield, who ran the game within the generous amount of space granted to him by Shelbourne.
City, though, could not parlay their first-half dominance into a lead. McLaughlin came closest, whipping a first-time shot sweetly from the edge of the box that grazed the top of the crossbar. City lined up in between the twin poles of defender Freddie Anderson and striker Daniels, which also gave them a reliable threat on set pieces: Anderson’s clean contact on one delivery was blocked on its way to goal by his own team-mate, Fitzpatrick, who then couldn’t get the ball from out under his legs.
There was a variety to their set-piece routines too, however, with Charlie Lyons later peeling off to the front post and seeing his diving header pushed away by Shels’ keeper Lorcan Healy.
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Cork continued to press for an opening goal, with referee Marc Lynch waving away tame penalty appeals from Maguire and Daniels in the penalty area.
Duff cut a curiously pensive figure throughout; largely unmoving, stood with arms folded and legs akimbo on the touchline. Shels only managed their first shot of any description in first-half added time, with John O’Sullivan’s half-volley headed away by Lyons in front of goalkeeper Tein Troost.
Duff evidently did his talking at half-time, making a triple sub. He stuck with his system, but introduced all of Paddy Barrett, James Norris, and Mipo Odubeko. Shels played with the zeal of men freshly bollocked and the game became altogether more elastic, with a couple of blocked Odubeko shots quickly doubling their miserable first half total.
But having failed to score during their long first-half dominance, City found their goal against the run of play. Ring wing-back Milan Mbeng bounded down the right touchline and stood a cross up to the far post, which was met by Maguire, who rose above Mark Coyle and headed the ball into the bottom corner.
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 30, 2025
Maguire was withdrawn within 10 minutes, replaced by Greg Bolger as Nash signalled it was time to cling on to what they had: a risky kind of conservatism given City have yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
The provisional clean sheet didn’t last another 10 minutes. Duff made another change, swapping Ali Coote for Ellis Chapman, and it was he who cut a beautiful low shot from outside the box in off Troost’s right-hand post.
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) May 30, 2025
With Turner’s Cross suddenly stunned into silence, Coote almost scored again a minute later, denied only by a superb, splayed block by Lyons.
City continued to defend doggedly, occasionally struggling to clear their lines but without conceding a clear-cut chance. It was they who finished the stronger, with substitute Rio Shipston forcing an agile save from Healy as the game barrelled toward stoppage time.
“You’re only here to see the champions”, sang the Shels fans at the end. Regardless, the home fans saw a few familiar faults and frustrations, but it was leavened with sufficient positive signs to suggest their side can claw their way closer to safety. This, any football fan will tell you, is a heady but dangerous mix.
Cork City: Tein Troost; Milan Mbeng; Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons (captain), Darragh Crowley; Joshua Fitzpatrick (Malik Dijksteel, 73′); Sean Murray (Rio Shipston, 73′), Evan McLaughlin; Cathal O’Sullivan (Alex Nolan, 88′), Sean Maguire (Greg Bolger, 66′), Djenairo Daniels
Shelbourne:Lorcan Healy; John O’Sullivan (James Norris, HT); Mark Coyle, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson (Paddy Barrett HT); Evan Caffrey; Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Ellis Chapman (Ali Coote, 64′) ; Harry Wood (Mipo Odubeko, HT), John Martin (Daniel Kelly, 83′)
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Cork City impress under new boss Nash but settle for point at home to champions Shels
Cork City 1
Shelbourne 1
THE MIDWAY POINT of the season is usually the stage at which points become more important than any sense of progress, but new Cork City manager Ger Nash can successfully walk the line between both after his first home game in charge ended in a 1-1 draw with champions Shelbourne.
City were much the better team in the first-half but could only score shortly after the break through Sean Maguire and, in a familiar scene, it was a lead to which they could not hold on, undone by Ali Coote’s terrific long-range equaliser with 20 minutes remaining.
But from there they hung obdurately to their point, with Shels lacking any cutting edge to truly make the Shed sweat. The result leaves City one point clear of bottom-of-the-league Sligo Rovers, but a yawning 10 points from absolute safety and Waterford in eighth place. Shels, meanwhile, have run aground: they’ve won just two of their last 10 games and have slipped nine points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. Nash will head for the mid-season break in a much happier mood than Damien Duff.
Nash had the luxury of starting Sean Maguire for the first time in over two months. Nash matched Duff in selecting a back three, with Maguire notionally playing off the left with Djenairo Daniels leading the line and Cathal O’Sullivan dancing in off the right flank.
But with left wing-back Joshua Fitzpatrick pushing very high and effectively into City’s front line whenever they had possession, Maguire tucked in to play much more centrally.
City were flexible in their set-up and varied in their play, unafraid to scramble Shels’ brains by playing quickly and in behind. Much of this play was cleanly orchestrated by Evan McLaughlin in the Cork midfield, who ran the game within the generous amount of space granted to him by Shelbourne.
City, though, could not parlay their first-half dominance into a lead. McLaughlin came closest, whipping a first-time shot sweetly from the edge of the box that grazed the top of the crossbar. City lined up in between the twin poles of defender Freddie Anderson and striker Daniels, which also gave them a reliable threat on set pieces: Anderson’s clean contact on one delivery was blocked on its way to goal by his own team-mate, Fitzpatrick, who then couldn’t get the ball from out under his legs.
There was a variety to their set-piece routines too, however, with Charlie Lyons later peeling off to the front post and seeing his diving header pushed away by Shels’ keeper Lorcan Healy.
Cork continued to press for an opening goal, with referee Marc Lynch waving away tame penalty appeals from Maguire and Daniels in the penalty area.
Duff cut a curiously pensive figure throughout; largely unmoving, stood with arms folded and legs akimbo on the touchline. Shels only managed their first shot of any description in first-half added time, with John O’Sullivan’s half-volley headed away by Lyons in front of goalkeeper Tein Troost.
Duff evidently did his talking at half-time, making a triple sub. He stuck with his system, but introduced all of Paddy Barrett, James Norris, and Mipo Odubeko. Shels played with the zeal of men freshly bollocked and the game became altogether more elastic, with a couple of blocked Odubeko shots quickly doubling their miserable first half total.
But having failed to score during their long first-half dominance, City found their goal against the run of play. Ring wing-back Milan Mbeng bounded down the right touchline and stood a cross up to the far post, which was met by Maguire, who rose above Mark Coyle and headed the ball into the bottom corner.
Maguire was withdrawn within 10 minutes, replaced by Greg Bolger as Nash signalled it was time to cling on to what they had: a risky kind of conservatism given City have yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
The provisional clean sheet didn’t last another 10 minutes. Duff made another change, swapping Ali Coote for Ellis Chapman, and it was he who cut a beautiful low shot from outside the box in off Troost’s right-hand post.
With Turner’s Cross suddenly stunned into silence, Coote almost scored again a minute later, denied only by a superb, splayed block by Lyons.
City continued to defend doggedly, occasionally struggling to clear their lines but without conceding a clear-cut chance. It was they who finished the stronger, with substitute Rio Shipston forcing an agile save from Healy as the game barrelled toward stoppage time.
“You’re only here to see the champions”, sang the Shels fans at the end. Regardless, the home fans saw a few familiar faults and frustrations, but it was leavened with sufficient positive signs to suggest their side can claw their way closer to safety. This, any football fan will tell you, is a heady but dangerous mix.
Cork City: Tein Troost; Milan Mbeng; Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons (captain), Darragh Crowley; Joshua Fitzpatrick (Malik Dijksteel, 73′); Sean Murray (Rio Shipston, 73′), Evan McLaughlin; Cathal O’Sullivan (Alex Nolan, 88′), Sean Maguire (Greg Bolger, 66′), Djenairo Daniels
Shelbourne: Lorcan Healy; John O’Sullivan (James Norris, HT); Mark Coyle, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson (Paddy Barrett HT); Evan Caffrey; Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Ellis Chapman (Ali Coote, 64′) ; Harry Wood (Mipo Odubeko, HT), John Martin (Daniel Kelly, 83′)
Referee: Marc Lynch
Attendance: 2,821
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Cork City honours even League of Ireland LOI Shelbourne Soccer