Cork City were stunned at the Brandywell tonight when Derry City netted twice in the space of 90 seconds to secure what had appeared a highly unlikely victory.
Indeed, the Leesiders certainly didn't deserve this latest setback, having led 1-0 as the game entered injury time. But Derry's Ciaran Martyn hooked the ball home in the 90th minute to level matters after a goalmouth scramble.
And if that brought the big Brandywell crowd to its feet, no one could have predicted what was to happen next; teenage substitute Aaron Nash became an instant hero when he headed a Tommy Stewart cross to the net in the 91st minute to totally devastate the stunned Corkmen.
To be fair, the home side had dominated the opening period, but Martyn, Mark Farren and Stewart all failed to capitalise on glorious scoring chances.
With Cork never threatening during that period, their Latvian striker, Guntars Siligailis, tapped Colin Healy's low cross to the net in the 67th minute, and Paul Doolin punched the air in delight.
Derry, however, refused to give up, and while Martyn went close to equalising in the 74th minute, his shot screaming wide of the target, Cork began to run the clock down as the game entered its latter stages.
It was an amazing finish, and with the home side spurred on by their magnificent support, Cork failed to clear a cross into the danger area, with the ball bobbing about between players before Martyn got his long legs to sweep it home from 10 yards.
Young Nash, who had entered the fray at the expense of Farren ten minutes earlier, then met Stewart's inviting cross with his head to power the ball past the flat-footed Dan Connor, and the youngster has no doubt increased his standing with the Derry faithful.
Derry City: Doherty; O’Brien (Scullion, 75 mins.), McChrystal, Hutton, Gray; McGlynn, Martyn, Higgins, Kearney; Farren (Nash, 79 mins.), Stewart.
Cork City: Connor; Horgan, Murray, O’Halloran, Murphy; Lordan (O’Neill, 62), Gamble, Healy, Dennehy; Kudozovic (Behan, 79), Silgailis.
Referee: Mr D Hanney (Dublin).
Derry City 2-1 Cork City
