Derry City 3 - 1 Cork City
Despite going a goal ahead early on, Cork City dropped to the bottom of the table following defeat at the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium last Friday night.
Joseph Olowu put The Rebels ahead inside 3 minutes and led 1-0 at the break. However Derry came out with all guns blazing at the restart, with Walter Figueira capitalising on a McNulty error on 50 minutes. Adam Hamill was on hand to put Derry ahead 3 minutes later firing into an empty Cork net. James Akintunde scored Derry’s third in the 90th minute to seal 3 points as Derry rise to 5th ahead of hosting a struggling Dundalk side on Friday week.
Shamrock Rovers 0 - 0 Shelbourne
The league leaders were held to a scoreless draw by capital neighbours Shelbourne on Friday night. After beginning the season so emphatically, this was the 2nd match in a row that Rovers failed to score in.
Shelbourne were close to taking the lead on 70 minutes, but Jaze Kabia blazed his effort over Mannus’ crossbar. Rovers finished the game with 10 men after Rory Gaffeny went off injured. Shels stopper Colin McCabe was deservedly named RTE man of the match after an excellent display, denying Graham Burke and Jack Byrne in either half to earn his side a point.
Following Bohemians win on Saturday, Rovers lead at the top is now at just two points, ahead of a mouth-watering Dublin Derby in Tallaght Stadium on September 5th. One may expect that whoever comes out on top will surely place one hand on the trophy. Before that however, Rovers host Finnish side Ilves Tampere in Europa League qualification this Thursday evening.
Bohemians 2 - 0 St.Patrick’s Athletic
Bohemians climb to second place, and two points within leaders Shamrock Rovers following a comfortable win over Dublin rivals St.Patrick’s Athletic in Dalymount last Saturday.
Bohs knew before the game that a fifth consecutive victory would close the gap to two points following Rovers draw the day before. Anto Breslin’s sublime 16th minute finish (or should I say cross) sent Bohs 1-0 up. With the wind at his back, Breslin sent the ball over Brendan Clarke and into the top corner from 25 yards, in what surely will be a goal of the season contender.
Bohs doubled their advantage when Andre Wright headed in on 25 minutes, adding to his growing tally this season. Bohs were unlucky not to add a third before half-time as Shels struggled to contain their rapid neighbours. The 2nd half was much of the same, and although Shels did enjoy spells of possession, they never looked like getting back into the contest in truth. Bohs are now 2 points off Rovers ahead of the Dublin Derby in 2 weeks.
Sligo Rovers 3 - 1 Dundalk
Sligo Rovers move up to fourth following a comprehensive win over a dismal Dundalk side last Saturday evening. After crashing out of the Champions League last Wednesday, and the departure of long time servant Vinny Perth, Dundalk seem to be in disarray at the moment.
Sligo capitalized on the troubled Lilywhites, and went ahead on 12 minutes through a superb Donelon free-kick. Dundalk could have equalized on 35 minutes, but Patrick Hoban saw his spot-kick saved after a Penninkangas handball inside the area. Ryan De Vries was on hand to double Sligo’s lead just after the break, before Ogede-Uzokwe headed home his first goal for the club to seal 3 points for Sligo. Hoban won his 2nd spot-kick of the game on 75 minutes, with Colovic stepping up this time to score, although it proved to be too little too late. Sligo’s fourth win in five sees them move into the European places, while out of form Dundalk travel to Derry City on Friday week.
Waterford 2 - 3 Finn Harps
Finn Harps pulled off a spectacular late comeback against Waterford last Sunday, in a win that lifts them out of bottom place on goal difference after Cork’s loss at Derry City.
John Sheridan’s side went a goal ahea early on through Ali Coote’s deflected effort, and led for most of the match before a frantic last 10 minutes occurred. The Donegal side grew into the tie as the 2nd half progressed, and equalized with a David Webster strike on 82 minutes, although John Martin restored Waterford’s lead 2 minutes later.
A resolute Finn Harps refused to surrender, and substitutes Alexander Kolger and Adrain Delap dug deep to clinch an important 3 points for the struggling side. Kolger headed in superbly to make it 2-2 on 88 minutes, and was then on hand to cross towards Delap who made no mistake from 6 yards to seal victory. After so callously calling the league “a shambles” last week, I wonder what John Sheridan made of watching his side capitulate and concede 3 in the last 9 minutes!
By Seán O'Connor.
(All pictures: Sportsfile.ie)