Cork City will have to wait before finally being crowned SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundalk at Turners Cross on Monday evening. A Brian Garland own goal looked like it was going to be enough
Cork City will have to wait before finally being crowned SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundalk at Turners Cross on Monday evening.
A Brian Garland own goal looked like it was going to be enough to see City claim their first league title in 12 years but Robbie Benson’s late equaliser ensures the Leesiders still require two more points before they can land the silverware.
Cork took the lead after twenty minutes in rather fortuitous circumstances. After Garry Buckley’s close range strike squirmed under Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers, Sean Hoare desperately attempted to clear his lines but in doing so cannoned the ball off the helpless Brian Gartland, who was unfortunate to see it loop into the back of the Shed End net.
City ought to have doubled their lead shortly before the half time break when Jimmy Keohane raced onto a Stephen Dooley ball over the top but the attacker fired his effort over the bar with only the keeper to beat.
The home side controlled possession for most of the second half as they looked to close out the match and the title race. But with just three minutes remaining, Dundalk snatched the crucial equaliser to delay the title celebrations by at least another two weeks as Robbie Benson slotted Dylan Connolly’s cross into the bottom left corner.
Attentions now turn to the FAI Cup semi-finals this weekend before the title race will now reconvene when Dundalk travel to Finn Harps on the 7th of October.
