Freddie Anderson rescued a valuable draw for Cork City as Shamrock Rovers were left to regret more dropped points in the title race.
With Roy Keane among the 3,619 crowd at a sunny Turner's Cross, the Hoops looked the likely winners after Rory Gaffney hit the net early on.
But City stayed in the fight long enough for Stoke City loanee Anderson, son of two-time European Cup winner Viv, to drill home his first goal for the Leesiders in the 74th minute.
Despite their winless streak extending to four games, the point was enough for Rovers to move above Galway United into third, while City stay ninth.
Tim Clancy’s injury crisis worsened with full-backs Milan Mbeng and Benny Couto ruled out on top of Josh Fitzpatrick’s three-game suspension. Two 18-year-olds - Anderson and Matthew Kiernan - came into the defence, with Rio Shipston added in midfield.
Rovers made four changes, with two enforced due to Dan Cleary and Dylan Watts’ injuries. Stephen Bradley handed starts to Cory O’Sullivan, on his 19th birthday, John O’Sullivan, Aaron Greene, and Gaffney.
Rovers had scored six times in their last three games, but hadn't won any. Facing a City side yet to keep a clean sheet, the omens looked positive for goals.
The hosts were seeking to rectify their worst performance of the season, a 4-1 Tallaght thumping, and Clancy decided upon a more conservative approach.
Rovers owned the ball from the start as Jack Byrne dropped deep to orchestrate the attack. Their probing build-up play created the first chance before long. Byrne and Rory Gaffney’s passing exchange opened a lane for ex-City player Josh Honohan to cross. He found Danny Grant wide open at the back post, but Tein Troost got down well to save.
The Hoops got the breakthrough in the 17th minute.
Matt Healy’s cross was only half cleared to John O’Sullivan, who caught Troost unawares to strike the post. Meanwhile, Evan McLaughlin was down with a knock, inadvertently playing the alert Gaffney onside. The veteran striker produced an excellent instinctive finish for his second goal of the season.
A comedy of errors almost gifted Gaffney another. Anderson’s miskick flew to the wide-open goal poacher, but he volleyed high into the Shed End. Gaffney was left all alone again for the next opening but John O’Sullivan couldn’t find him with the pass.
Wingers Cathal O’Sullivan and Kitt Nelson battled hard as City were limited to set-pieces for their scarce opportunities. Anderson got off a header and McLaughlin a long-range blast. Neither troubled Ed McGinty.
Long before the half-time break, the crowd had fallen flat.
The trend continued as Rovers went in search of the killer blow. Honohan came close with a free header from Byrne’s floated free-kick. Charlie Lyons was in the right position on the line but his miskick had to be saved by Troost to prevent an own goal.
Byrne was playing just off the frontmen now and he burst into the box to test Troost with a left-footed effort. Healy won possession and raced forward to get on the end of the next chance but his scuffed shot was saved.
The crowd began to lift as a corner routine teed up Seán Murray outside the box and his dangerous shot deflected wide off the hand of Roberto Lopes. Play was brought back for a free-kick, which Cathal O’Sullivan guided around the wall but also around the post.
They found the leveller in the 74th minute. Harry Nevin kept the play alive from a deflected free, Djenairo Daniels laid the ball back for Anderson on the edge of the box, and the centre-back drilled a low finish into the far corner.
Rovers’ rising star Victor Ozhianvuna made an immediate impact on his introduction.
The 16-year-old crossed for Graham Burke, whose shot was saved by the feet of Troost. The Dutch keeper had plenty of work in the closing stages to deny Healy, Michael Noonan, and Ozhianvuna, while Grant drove wide.
Cork City: Tein Troost; Darragh Crowley, Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons, Matthew Kiernan; Seán Murray, Rio Shipston (Harry Nevin 63), Evan McLaughlin; Kitt Nelson, Djenairo Daniels (Alex Nolan 84), Cathal O’Sullivan.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lee Grace, Roberto Lopes, Cory O’Sullivan; Danny Grant, Jack Byrne, Matt Healy, John O’Sullivan, Josh Honohan (Victor Ozhianvuna 82); Aaron Greene (Graham Burke 73), Rory Gaffney (Michael Noonan 73).
Referee: Mark Houlihan (Dublin).
