ST PAT'S 0
CORK CITY 2
(Horgan 57, O'Callaghan 68)
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Goals from central defender Neal Horgan and midfielder George O’Callaghan were the difference between Cup finalists St Pat’s and visitors Cork City, now in second place, as City earned a 2-0 win - a first win for boss Pat Dolan over his former club, at Richmond Park.
In their four previous meetings this season, there’s been little between these sides resulting in three of those being draws. And it looked likely to be the case tonight until 23-year-old defender-turned-striker Horgan, who made his debut against Pat’s over three years ago, headed the first goal.
Pat’s started with Keith Foy in place of injured French defender Karim el Khebir, and it was the left back whose free kick was nearly headed home by Paul Osam, but City ‘keeper Michael Devine made a good save on five minutes. And Foy was in action again just before the break as his free kick saw Devine called into action at the end of a tepid first-half.
Things improved in the second-half at the bitterly cold Inchicore venue with Horgan glancing home his first goal of the season from Colin T O'Brien's cross on 57 minutes for a 1-0 Cork lead. Dolan’s charges stepped up their challenge thereafter and rubberstamped the three points with twenty minutes remaining.
Midfielder O’Callaghan confirmed Pat’s second league defeat in-a-row when he found a gap past Pat's stopper Chris Adamson from close range, following a well timed cross from former Pat's man Kevin Doyle. Saints' striker Tony Bird had a double shot saved late on, but Cork deservedly took their unbeaten run to seven games at the final whistle.
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SHELBOURNE 3
(Harris 13, Hoolahan 38, Mulcahy OG 61)
WATERFORD UNITED 1
(Reilly pen 64)
League leaders Shelbourne took just their second win from four meetings this season with Waterford United, at Tolka Park tonight to edge seven points clear of the Premier Division chasing pack.
Shels’ fourteenth win of the season, and eighth in 14 home games, was founded on Jamie Harris’ thirteenth minute strike. Ireland U21 midfielder Wes Hoolahan played the Welsh striker Harris into the United penalty area and following a couple of touches, he confidently rolled the ball under the advancing Dan Connor for the lead goal. Harris, who played at centre-half in Shels’ 2-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Friday, was celebrating his third goal in four games. His striker partner Jason Byrne went close with a fourth minute free-kick, after a bad challenge by David Mulcahy on Shels’ midfielder Stuart Byrne, earned the Blues’ skipper a yellow card.
Hoolahan nabbed the second, his first for nineteen league games, seven minutes before the break before the game’s result was put beyond doubt on the hour mark. With the Waterford defence under pressure both Harris and skipper Jim Gannon had efforts before the ball was unfortunately helped to the United net by central defender Mulcahy, who incidentally scored his first of the season last Thursday in a 2-1 defeat of Derry.
Dublin referee Hugo Whorisky awarded a penalty four minutes later for a foul by Stuart Byrne on United striker Neale Fenn. Top scorer Alan Reilly duly dispatched the spot kick for his fourth in four games, but the Blues’ charge failed to muster another goal.
Fifth-placed Waterford welcome relegation-threatened Drogheda to the RSC while Shelbourne’s next game has been switched from next Thursday to Saturday, at Derry City’s Brandywell.