A long-awaited away victory in the Premier Division for Cork City ensured a third straight league victory for Liam Buckley's team and breathed new life into their survival bid.
Babatunde Owolabi’s second half goal means that Cork now sit just two points off Drogheda United – and safety - in eighth position. Both teams came into the match on two-match winning runs, something had to give, but Cork took the spoils.
The last time Cork managed to string three top-flight victories together was back in 2018, en route to a second place finish. At that point, their years long co-dominance with Dundalk was coming to an end.
In 2023, their objectives are different and they lie much closer to the foot of the table than the summit. A three-match winning run is no mean feat and it may go a long way towards securing safety come the season’s end.
The winning goal was Owolabi’s fourth of the campaign and his partnership with Ruairi Keating is proving a fruitful one for Buckley, who has changed things up since taking the reins from Colin Healy.
Drogheda will be bitterly disappointed at the manner of the concession, however. Colin McCabe raced off his line to deal with a long, high punt forward from City. He didn’t affect the ball at all though and Owolabi was allowed to take control of the dropping ball.
He was able to finish easily into an open goal to leave the small but noisy travelling supporters delighted.
He had earlier made McCabe work with a couple of snatched shots on goal, but he was a constant menace to a bothered United rearguard. Keating passed up a presentable chance to opening the scoring before the break too. His header lacked direction.
Drogheda created chances of their own. Dayle Rooney flashed a shot wide and Ryan Brennan twice let fly from range too. Late on, Freddie Draper skied over in his only real opportunity of a rare quiet game for the striker recently.
Drogheda United: Colin McCabe; Luke Heeney (Elicha Ahui, 75), Emmanuel Adegboyega, Conor Keeley, Aaron McNally; Gary Deegan, Ryan Brennan (Michael Leddy, 85); Dylan Grimes (Adam Foley, 46), Darragh Markey, Dayle Rooney; Freddie Draper.
Cork City: Jimmy Corcoran; Joshua Honohan, Cian Coleman, Ally Gilchrist, Darragh Crowley (Gordon Walker, 5), Matthew Healy, Aaron Bolger, Kevin Custovic; Barry Coffey (Joe O’Brien Whitmarsh, 89); Ruairi Keating, Tunde Owolabi (Cian Murphy, 89).
Referee: Neil Doyle
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