Cork City 1-1 Shamrock Rovers: Late heartbreak for Bradley as Crowley wonderstrike saves a point for City.
The points were shared at Turner’s Cross following a late Darragh Crowley cracker from distance that salvaged a point for Cork City and cancelled out Danny Grant’s second half opener. Although neither side secured the win, crucially neither gave up any ground to the teams they were chasing (in City’s case) or being chased by (for Rovers) either.
Following their respective cup successes last week that secured semi final spots for both Cork City and Shamrock Rovers, attention returned to league action tonight for two teams with very different aims for the rest of the campaign. The Dubliners, seven points clear at the top before kick-off and en route to secure their fifth title in six seasons, arrived on Leeside to face a City side marooned at the bottom, albeit on an improved run of form, looking to salvage a semblance of hope for a potentially miraculous survival.
Each side made one change to their starting XIs that prevailed in the cup a week ago, with Greg Bolger replacing Sean Murray in midfield for the hosts while 19-year-old Cory O’Sullivan came in for Lee Grace at the back for Rovers.
Kick Off
An end to end opening few minutes could have easily resulted in a goal, were it not for a heroic, and quite fortuitous, block by City centre half Rory Feely. The hosts had almost capitalised on a loose Rovers backpass moments earlier, but Kaedyn Kamara’s lay off couldn’t find Evan McLaughlin on the penalty area. From that interception, the league leaders broke at speed with some intricate passing cutting City’s backline apart, with the ball eventually cut back to Daniel Mandriou from the byline. The Hoops’ number 14 looked destined to score but his close range shot cannoned into the face of Feely who was in the right place at the right time for his team.
A steady spell of possession followed for the visitors, but it wasn’t until the 20th minute that their next true opening arose. Mandriou’s inviting ball from the left caused uncertainty in the City defence which allowed Rory Gaffney to arrive at the back post. He failed to get a clear contact, however, and the bobbling ball was bundled off the goal line at the Shed End.
Ger Nash’s men had to wait until the 26th minute for their first shot on target, when Alex Nolan worked himself into a shooting opportunity on the edge of the penalty area following some nice solo play on the right. The attempt didn’t overly trouble Ed McGinty, though – hero of last week’s shootout victory for the Hoops – who collected comfortably.
Despite City growing into the game midway through the first half, it was Rovers who came closest to scoring next. Conor Brann punched a corner clear only as far as Mandroiu who chested it down at the edge of the box before his effort on the bounce was ballooned into the Shed. The Hoops midfielder continued to threaten the hosts with some dangerous play and another saved attempt all within the same short period.
Josh Honohan, playing left wing-back for the Dubliners, suffered a hostile reception on his return to Leeside having made the controversial switch to Tallaght at the end of the 2023 season from his boyhood club. Even if his every touch was booed and every mistake jeered by the resentful home fans, it was Honohan who created arguably his side’s best chance of the half just before the break when he slipped in Graham Burke from the left. The Rovers striker jinked past the recovering defender but was denied by a crucial block from Brann just metres from the goal line.
Despite the unrelenting pressure from the team looking to preserve their seven-point lead at the top, it remained scoreless at half time thanks to a lot of resilient and disciplined Cork City defending.
the restart:
It was a bright start to the second period from the Rebel Army as they worked a number of decent opportunities within five minutes of the restart. First, a cross-field pass from Darragh Crowley found Sean Maguire who carried the ball into a dangerous position but his right footed shot from inside the D was blocked before it could trouble McGinty. Moments later Greg Bolger let fly from range but it was a straightforward stop for the Rovers number one. Then, just before 50 minutes, Crowley broke down the right and set McLaughlin free. The City midfielder couldn’t continue his recent finishing hot streak, however, as having cut into the box on his left, the ball sailed over the bar.
It took over a quarter of an hour for Bradley’s side to properly regain a foothold in the game. A couple of minutes past the hour mark, Burke fashioned an opening on the edge of City’s area but his left-footed effort was dragged just past Brann’s post. Another attempt from Mandroiu shortly after and, like clockwork, Brann went down to receive treatment right on 65 minutes just as his team were beginning to suffer under the pressure.
The short “tactical” break ended up serving Bradley better than Nash however as, almost instantly, the Champions-elect showed their quality and finally took the lead after 69 minutes. It was the wingbacks combining that broke the deadlock in Rovers’ favour with Honohan’s drilled cut back from the left finding Danny Grant on the far side. Grant took one touch before drilling the ball from near the right corner of the penalty box into the bottom left corner of the net, passed the helpless dive of Brann.
The Rebel Army reacted strongly to falling behind, perhaps as the unacceptable nature of defeat dawned given their current position and the scorelines elsewhere tonight. It looked as though they had been granted a golden opportunity to level the game when the ball broke kindly to Maguire close to goal but a heroic last-ditch tackle from Hoops skipper Roberto Lopes saved the day for his side.
The late show:
As time ticked away it looked like it would be a hard-fought win on the road for Rovers, quintessential of a team en route to a title. However, in the 91st minute after plenty of pressure but little of substance, City were saved by a moment of brilliance. Darragh Crowley picked the ball up no less than 35 yards from goal, strode forward and unleashed a cracker of a strike that Ed McGinty could only follow with his eyes.
It was a much needed piece of quality for the Rebel Army that cancelled out Grant’s opener to grant themselves an important point and, most importantly, preserve the momentum of their recent form. A valiant point at home to the soon-to-be champions, their second 1-1 with Rovers at Turner’s Cross this season, will give Ger Nash and his team the encouragement that the great escape is still possible.
For Stephen Bradley, the nature of the two points dropped will sting but it will do little to alter the bookies odds of them reclaiming the Premier Division trophy after a brief Duff-enforced sabbatical last year. Their gap at the top remains seven points, as does City’s at the bottom thanks to four draws across tonight League of Ireland action. Not ceding any ground will be enough solace to take for both managers after a high intensity game at Turner’s Cross on a night in which the only winners were Bohemians. For both teams, even without a win, their respective dreams remain alive, and the stories of their seasons could yet intertwine in an FAI Cup final.
Final Score: Cork City 1-1 Shamrock Rovers
About The Author
