By Gavin McLoughlin
Dundalk 0-1 Cork City
Sean Maguire’s 69th-minute penalty condemned reigning champions Dundalk to their first league defeat since last June as Cork City claimed what could be a vital three points at Oriel Park.
The Leesiders came into the game knowing that defeat would leave them six points adrift of Stephen Kenny’s side but they dug in to secure their first league win at the border venue since 2009 thanks to Maguire’s spot-kick.
The Irish U21 striker endured a frustrating loan spell at Dundalk last season but he has been given a new lease of life by his move south.
The Waterford native scored against his old employers to win the President’s Cup for The Rebels last month but his goal here could be priceless come the end of the season.
The natives were given a huge boost before a ball had even been kicked when it was revealed that Kenny had put pen to paper on a new contract that will tie him to Dundalk until the end of the 2018 season. However, it turned out to be their only positive of a miserable evening.
Things got off to a feisty start with Cork City winger Stephen Dooley leaving Brian Gartland in a heap after just seven seconds. Dundalk left-back Dane Massey then lost a tooth following a challenge on Maguire.
The dust settled and it was Dundalk who posed all of the questions. With Daryl Horgan, Patrick McEleney and Ronan Finn all buzzing with intent, the champions looked menacing going forward.
McEleney worked Mark McNulty for the first time in the 12th minute. The former Derry City man left Greg Bolger for dead after cutting in from the right flank but the City goalkeeper read his intentions, getting down to divert the curling effort behind for a corner.
Dundalk looked to exploit City’s left flank and John Mountney looked to have the measure of Kevin O’Connor in their one on one battle. The Mayo man’s tenacity set up Ronan Finn for a pop in the 18th minute, his flashing drive causing the side net to ripple.
Horgan then clipped a beautiful ball into Ciaran Kilduff on the penalty spot but he could only direct his header wide under heavy pressure from Eoghan O’Connell and Alan Bennett.
Kilduff and Bennett came into close proximity again in the 24th minute, the Dundalk striker seeing what looked to be a valid penalty appeal turned away by referee McLaughlin after Bennett appeared to push the Lilywhites number 16 onto the deck.
Caulfield’s side weathered the storm but they struggled to get into any sort of attacking rhythm and the first half ended in a flurry of yellow cards with Kevin O’Connor, Steven Beattie and Stephen Dooley all booked within four minutes for the Rebels. Dundalk skipper, Stephen O’Donnell, also had his name taken by the Monaghan official.
Dundalk were dealt a blow seven minutes into the second half when McEleney pulled up with a suspected groin strain after breaking clear with pace on the left. Kenny replaced him with fellow new boy Robbie Benson.
Caulfield and his coaching staff were on their feet on the hour mark when McLaughlin decided against taking action against O’Donnell for a foul on Beattie. The Dundalk skipper was fortunate not to see a second yellow.
The Leesiders continued to grow in stature and they forced Rogers into the save of the game in the 64th minute. Sheppard’s cutback from the left was flicked on by Dooley into Beattie’s path but the Dundalk goalkeeper burst from his line to make a fantastic block.
Cork landed the decisive blow five minutes later. Sheppard’s cross from the right hit the outstretched arm of Massey and Maguire was coolness personified to beat Rogers for the third time in the space of three weeks.
Benson was unlucky to see a brilliant first-time swerving effort fly just wide of McNulty’s post three minutes later but it proved to be a rare sighting of goal as City, with Kenny Browne and Alan Bennett mopping up everything that was thrown at them, holding firm to give Caulfield his first ever league victory over Kenny and Dundalk at the tenth time of asking.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon (Darren Meenan 81), Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Ronan Finn, Stephen O’Donnell; John Mountney, Patrick McEleney (Robbie Benson 53), Daryl Horgan; Ciaran Kilduff (David McMillan 76).
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Eoghan O’Connell, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor; John Dunleavy, Greg Bolger; Karl Sheppard, Steven Beattie (Colin Healy 79), Stephen Dooley (Ian Turner 84); Sean Maguire.
REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan).
