Cork condemned the Candystripes to bottom spot in the Premier Division, thirteen months after winning the Carlsberg Cup.
Derry started with eight of the side that drew with Cork 1-1 at the same venue in August, with Pat Dolan’s side containing new signing Michael Nwanko in midfield and local favourite Jamie Nolan up front. Right midfielder Doyle had an early chance on seven minutes but his hooked effort went over Alan Gough’s crossbar from fifteen yards out.
Derry midfielder Ciaran Martyn drilled a sixteen-yard effort straight at Cork ‘keeper Michael Devine on 22 minutes for the Ulster side’s best chance of the half, before Cork centre fielder Conor O'Grady saw his shot fumbled by Derry's Gough on the half hour, but the former Shelbourne stopper re-gathered the loose ball on his line.
George O’Callaghan busied himself throughout, and four minutes after the restart a four man move from Cork, begun by central defender Dan Murray saw O’Callaghan swivel on the Derry six-yard box and fire a shot goalwards, but again Gough was equal to the challenge. In what was a poor game overall, the only goal of the game came with twelve minutes remaining.
Neal Horgan’s right wing cross opened up the Derry back four and Doyle was on hand to net his fifth league goal of the season, with a flicked header over the advancing Gough. A clearly frustrated Gavin Dykes threw on three substitutions with striker Mark Farren easily the most effective. His right wing cross fell to Gareth McGlynn inside the last five minutes but the midfielder couldn’t finish, and it was the same story in injury time as Ciaran Martyn shot wide from just eight yards.
Coupled with bottom side UCD’s 2-1 win over Drogheda, Derry go bottom with two games remaining, one of those away to title-chasing Shelbourne.