Cork City: The season-defining moments

By Rob Wright

Cork have combined a penchant for the spectacular with never-say-die attitude to challenge for the title; here is a selection of their key moments to date.

13 June - Cork signal their intent with win in Tallaght

In an early test of both side's title credentials second-placed Cork travelled to Tallaght to face Shamrock Rovers, who sat in fourth place. Both sides had a game in hand over fellow hopefuls Dundalk and St Pat's but it was Cork who proved they were genuine contenders with a professional 2-0 victory.

Despite being under pressure for much of the game, Cork took the lead just after the break when a break from midfield via Brian Lenihan set up the chance for Mark O'Sullivan to smash the ball home which he duly did.

After that it was all one-way traffic with Rovers throwing everything they had at Cork and the visitors defending stoutly.

Deep into injury time as Rovers' desperation grew, Cork broke up field and Gearóid Morrissey slotted home to claim all three points and send a real signal on intent to the rest of the league.

9 August - A late win thanks to Healy's stunning finish

A stunning overhead kick from Colin Healy with two minutes to go gave Cork a dramatic victory over champions St Patrick's Athletic in the game that confirmed their status as genuine title-challengers.

Going into the match of the back of two defeats, Cork were in danger of slipping out of the title race as they welcomed St Pat's to Turner's Cross.

A thoroughly entertaining encounter appeared to be heading for a stalemate, a result that would do little for either side's title aspirations, until Healy stepped up to steal the show with an audacious overhead effort that gave Brendan Clarke no chance in the Saints goal.

15 August - Cork ride their luck away to Derry

A week after putting a major dent in St Pat's title defence Cork were away to an injury-hit Derry City. With Dundalk having dropped points away to Drogheda in the Louth derby a week before, victory was essential for Cork in order to keep up the pressure but Derry offered a real challenge.

It started so well for John Caulfield's men with John O'Flynn breaking the deadlock on 13 minutes with a classy finish after losing his marker in the Derry penalty area but after that the Candystripes began to turn the screws.

Brian Lenihan had to clear a Philip Lowry shot off the line with goalkeeper Mark McNulty beaten. McNulty then produced a stunning save on 75 minutes to deny Patrick McEleney from a free-kick before the crossbar came to the Rebels' rescue late on and the visitors hung for a gritty away win, their second in the Brandywell of the year.

6 September - Murray heads home to take advantage

With league leaders Dundalk having gone down 1-0 to St Patrick's Athletic in the evening's earlier televised game, Cork had a golden opportunity to cut the deficit at the top of the table to three points.

Against a Shamrock Rovers side revitalised by the arrival of Pat Fenlon and still in the hunt for a European place, Cork were up against it. The match was a swash-buckling end-to-end affair with neither side content to settle for a share of the spoils but with the match clock ticking over into injury-time a scoreless draw seemed almost certain.

Step forward City legend Dan Murray who headed home a Colin Healy corner deep into injury time for a crucial victory.

Dan Murray scores in the last minute

21 September - Cork win a fiery Munster derby

A second-half strike from substitute Rob Lehane gave Cork a vital victory over Limerick that kept up the pressure on Dundalk at the top of the table. Some patchy form going into this game had seen the Rebels drop points at home to relegation haunted Bray and bottom side Athlone.

In a typically fiery Munster derby chances were at a premium but with 13 minutes to go Lehane picked up the ball on the edge of the Limerick penalty area before unleashing a fierce drive that sent the travelling Cork supporters into raptures.

26 September - McNulty rescues the points against Sligo

A week after that victory over Limerick and Cork were at home to Sligo Rovers in the first of a run of three home games from four.

With Dundalk expected to win away to UCD, another Cork victory to keep up the pressure on the leaders was crucial. Against an injury-hit Sligo team with recently installed interim manager Gavin Dykes at the helm, they would have fancied their chances.

But Sligo hadn't read the script and dominated the first half, taking the lead through Danny Ledwith. Second half goals from John O'Flynn and Billy Dennehy helped to calm an anxious crowd but with three minutes to go a clumsy challenge from Michael McSweeney on Ruairi Keating gave Sligo a penalty and what should have been a draw, only for Mark McNulty to confidently save Danny North's spot-kick and hand his side victory.

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