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Cork City’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division have taken another blow as they drew 0-0 with rivals Munster Waterford at Turner’s Cross.
City squandered a string of great opportunities on the night, they’ve only scored eight goals all season, and that cost them dearly, as they now remain at the bottom of the table, one point behind Finn Harps, who now has two games. in the hand.
Interim coach Colin Healy made two changes from his team that was beaten 2-0 by Dundalk on Tuesday night with Alec Byrne and Cory Galvin replacing Uniss Kargbo and Alan Bennett.
Knowing they needed a win to stay with a good chance of avoiding a fall to the First Division, City started brilliantly and threatened to take the lead in two minutes, but Alec Byrne’s header after a Kevin O’Connor free-kick went well. saved in his later Brian Murphy Post.
Waterford interim boss Fran Rockett made just one alteration to his team that he narrowly lost 1-0 at home to Shelbourne a week ago with Darragh Power replacing Tumise Sobowale, who fell to the substitute bench.
They came close to scoring themselves during the spirited opening exchanges, but Matthew Smith’s header from an excellent cross by Will Fitzgerald went over the left post.
City stayed on top of the proceedings and winger Dylan McGlade came close to finding the net twice after combining with Deshane Dalling.
First, the winger released Dalling with a clever move over Waterford’s rear before the forward returned the ball to McGlade’s path, but his powerful punch went straight to Brian Murphy. Moments later, pacy’s pair joined in again, but this time, McGlade could only trigger Dalling’s firing off the right post.
Looking for the victory that would see them rise back above Dundalk and into third place in the league table, Waterford responded well to those casualties and they soon took control of the proceedings.
A loose pass from Jake O’Brien’s back gave Kurtis Byrne a look at the goal from 40 yards, but the forward’s balloon slid harmlessly over the crossbar.
The visitors were close again at the end of the first half with Byrne producing a good save from Liam Bossin with a curling iron from inside the box before Darragh Power sent a volley through the goal and well off the back post.
After a meek second-quarter start, Dalling tried twice from long range, but both attempts were easily claimed by Murphy.
The Waterford number one did brilliantly to dump a McGlade piledriver before the home team stacked more players forward in search of that elusive goal.
They thought they had finally made it with 14 minutes to go when Cian Coleman soared higher to head home from a corner, but their joy was short-lived when the referee signaled a free start instead.
City, to their credit, struggled to the end and somehow failed to score in the final stages with Dalling, substitute Kit Elliott, who saw a shot somehow saved by Murphy from a couple of yards, and Coleman every chance. wasted.
In the end, they could have lost it, as former Republic of Ireland striker Daryl Murphy missed on three occasions where Waterford made themselves guilty as teams took a share of the spoils.
Cork City: Liam Bossin; Henry Ochieng, Joseph Olowu, Jake O’Brien, Kevin O’Connor; Alec Byrne (Kit Elliott 63), Gearoid Morrissey, Cory Galvin (Cian Bargary 56); Cian Coleman, Dylan McGlade (Beineon O’Brien-Whitmarsh 79), Deshane Dalling.
Waterford: Brian Murphy; Darragh Power (Tunmise Sobowale 90), Jake Davidson, Robert McCourt, Tyreke Wilson; Will Fitzgerald, Robbie Weir, Niall O’Keeffe, Matthew Smith; Allistar Coote (Will Longbottom 68); Kurtis Byrne (Daryl Murphy 56)
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
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