CORK City continue to find the Brandywell a happy hunting ground, Damien Richardson's men compounding Derry City's woes with their second win of the season at the northern venue.
That said, the Leesiders can consider themselves fortunate at the Brandywell last night as Derry City would not have been embarrassed having entered the break on the right side of a 2-0 lead.
But the ‘Candystripes’ well documented problems of hitting the target returned to haunt them and Cork made them pay dearly for that ineptitude.
Having opened brightly, the home side should have broken the deadlock in the fifth minute but Gareth McGlynn’s volley failed to hit the target.
However, Derry’s persistence eventually paid off six minutes later when Killian Brennan deservedly volleyed his side into the lead following a Kevin Deery cross.
The home side continued to force the issue but striker, Kevin McHugh, missed two glorious chances in as many minues, and two minutes before the break fellow front man Mark Farren squandered another superb opportunity following a defensive error.
As always seems to happen, Cork restored equality on the stroke of half time when Denis Behan latched on to Ollie Horgan’s cross and while the striker appeared to miss-hit his effort, the ball looped into the net over the head of debutante keeper, Dave McEwan.
Derry continued to drive forward after the break and on the hour a Ruaidhri Higgins cross found the head of the unmarked McGlynn who directed the ball wide for what was a terrible miss.
And Cork made Derry pay again when, in an immediate attack, Liam Kearney’s corner was palmed out by keeper, McEwan and when Joe Gamble returned the ball into the danger area, striker John O’Flynn forced the ball over the line from close range.
Derry huffed and puffed afterwards but Cork produced the goods in the second half to finish the game in control.
Derry City: McEwan; Deery (McDaid, 82 mins.), Oman, McCallion, Hargan; McGlynn, Higgins, Martyn, Brennan; McHugh, Farren.
Cork City: Devine; Horgan, Murray, O’Callaghan, Woods; McSweeney, O’Brien, Gamble, Kearney; Behan, O’Flynn (Softic, 65 mins.).
Referee: Mr. D. McKeon (Dublin).
