Cork City 2 - 2 Dundalk
The preamble to the 2015 Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup final ended honours even at Turner’s Cross as Cork City battled back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw and a point from Airtricity League Premier Division champions Dundalk.
Goals from David McMillan and Richie Towell put the away team into a well-deserved 2-0 lead after an impressive start.
However, goals from Mark O’Sullivan and Karl Sheppard ahead of the half-time interval ensured an enthralling contest right into added time and O’Sullivan might have snatched a late winner.
The result leaves Cork City needing a single point from their final game at Bohemians next week in order to secure second in the league standings.
The game also set up the prospect of another mouthwatering battle at the Aviva Stadium in just over two weeks’ time.
Quashing expectations that the sides would keep their powder dry ahead of the final showpiece next month, two strong line-ups were named by the managers and the contest went end-to-end right from the beginning.
Cork City made four changes; welcoming Dan Murray and Liam Miller back from suspension, as well as Liam Kearney and Mark O’Sullivan into their starting XI.
Dundalk recalled seven of their most experienced stars, with Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Daryl Horgan, David McMillan, Dane Massey and Richie Towell all back in white and black for the top of the table encounter.
The visitors looked composed from the off, with Ronan Finn testing the City defence early on with just seven minutes on the clock.
McMillan put the league champions ahead four minutes later when he knocked the ball home at the back post from Daryl Horgan’s set-piece out wide on the left wing.
Boosted by the early score, the Lilywhites piled forward to maintain pressure on the home side.
Chris Shields fired an effort well over on 14 minutes with a cross inside from Gannon almost allowing Horgan score against his old side moments later. The winger, however, failed to direct this effort on target.
The Leesiders first real response to the opening goal came via Kearney. The veteran picked out a lovely pass to Steven Beattie whose cross inside was cleared out for a throw by Andy Boyle.
Whatever hope that half-chance gave the 2,618-strong crowd, it was quickly extinguished as Horgan and Finn combined brilliantly to set Towell free. The midfielder took a touch, picked his spot and curled a superb rising effort beyond the reach of Mark McNulty.
Stunned into action, excellent work from Ross Gaynor and Sheppard saw City pull a goal back just three minutes later. The full-back’s ball saw his attacking colleague break down the left and Sheppard’s ball inside found O’Sullivan in the six-yard box and he poked home from close range.
McNulty tipped a superb shot from John Mountney around his post on 33 minutes, while McMillan had another half-chance when he headed just wide shortly before the equaliser arrived.
An attempted cross from Kearney was blocked for a corner and John Dunleavy’s set-piece found Dan Murray at the far post, though claims for handball were waved away by referee Paul Tuite as the ball fizzled out for a second corner. Gaynor floated the second corner into the box and his high, looping set-piece found Sheppard at the back post and he found the back of the net with an excellent header.
The boys in green enjoyed a promising spell early in the second half.
Liam Miller caught Gartland in possession and blazed an effort over the crossbar on 56 minutes.
Mountney capitalised on a mistake by Dan Murray to charge through and fire straight at McNulty moments later at the other end of the pitch.
Rogers had to be at his very best on 69 minutes as a long ball forward from Gaynor set Sheppard clear in on goal only for the Dundalk goalkeeper to spot the danger, race to the ball and gather at the striker’s feet.
Substitute Ciarán Kilduff and Towell threatened again late on for the visitors, while Mark O’Sullivan had a clear shout for a penalty when he was pushed over in the Dundalk box by Massey as he prepared for an aerial challenge on Miller’s cross.
The striker might even have grabbed a late, late winner deep in added time when he fired a snap-shot on target but straight at Boyle.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, John Dunleavy, Dan Murray, Ross Gaynor; Liam Miller; Steven Beattie (John O’Flynn ’80), Liam Kearney (Billy Dennehy ’55), Kevin O’Connor, Karl Sheppard; Mark O’Sullivan
Substitutes: Alan Smith, Connor Ellis, Chiedozie Ogbene, Cian Coleman, Stephen Folan
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; John Mountney (Sean Maguire ’82), Richie Towell, Ronan Finn, Chris Shields (George Poynton ’65), Daryl Horgan; David McMillan (Ciarán Kilduff ’70)
Substitutes: Gabriel Sava, Kurtis Byrne, Shane Grimes, Paddy Barrett
Referee: Paul Tuite
