Cork City have all but secured their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division status for next season as they narrowly defeated UCD 3-2 in an extraordinary game at Turner’s Cross on Friday night. Karl Sheppard gave City the lead in the first half when
Cork City have all but secured their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division status for next season as they narrowly defeated UCD 3-2 in an extraordinary game at Turner’s Cross on Friday night.
Karl Sheppard gave City the lead in the first half when he beat Conor Kearns with a powerful effort at his near post and they looked set to cruise to victory when Daire O’Connor made it 2-0 with a smart finish at the beginning of the second period.
The Students gave themselves hope in the 72nd minute when Dara Keane headed past the excellent Tadgh Ryan – who made numerous superb saves on the night- from a corner.
They looked beaten when Liam Kerrigan was dismissed for a second yellow card and Conor McCormack skipped past his man and fired the ball into the bottom right corner to make it 3-1 late on.
But within a minute of scoring McCormack gave away a penalty for a foul on Danu Kinsella Bishop and that was expertly dispatched into the bottom right corner by Jack Keaney.
And with virtually the last kick of the game Kinsella Bishop’s was desperately unlucky to see his shot cannon against the left post as City just about clung on to the win.
The result sees Neale Fenn claim his first win in charge of the club and their first win on home soil since the 10th of May to all but seal their place in the Premier Division for 2020.
UCD, on the other hand, are all but mathematically sure to return to the first division.
