Derry City severely frustrated Cork City at Turners Cross yesterday when they snatched three valuable points with a goal seven minutes from full-time.

It was an unlikely result from a match which found Cork in such positive mood that they exerted pressure on the Derry defence for virtually the entire afternoon.

Even when they were forced to play into the teeth of a strong wind in the first half, Cork were on top, yet they were countered so effectively by a sturdy and well-organised Derry defence that they seldom threatened Davy Platt.

Platt had two lucky escapes in the opening half, first when he raced 15 yards outside his penalty area only to be beaten to possession by John Caulfield who then watched with disappointment as his lob bounced wide off the posts.

Then, just before half-time, Platt was beaten by a cross from Gareth Cronin as Derek Coughlan had a shot which was deflected by a defender against the crossbar and over.

A goal then for Cork would surely have helped them on their way to the win they needed to maintain pressure on league leaders St Patrick's Athletic.

But even with the assistance of the wind in the second half, Cork showed few ideas or variety in their attacking play and Derry punished them with a breakaway goal after 83 minutes.

A free from near halfway was knocked down the left wing by substitute Michael Kelly for Marty McCann to cross into the penalty area. With Cork hesitating, Darren McCaul stepped in to turn the ball home from five yards.

It was an unpredictable swing of fortune and caused Derry City manager Kevin Mahon to remark: "We dominated our last two games against St Patrick's and Finn Harps and had to be content with two draws and this was in a sense a reward for that.

"It was a good lift for the cup match against Shelbourne which has to be our priority but if we can extend this form, we might pip Finn Harps for third in the league and get into Europe that way."

Derry were without the suspended Paul Hegarty and the injured Gerry Hargan and they lost Liam Coyle with an ankle injury at half-time. Goalkeeper Platt was their star on a day when their team worked well as a unit with Peter Hutton in splendid form at centre-back.

Cork were very disappointed to lose a match they should by any reckoning have won. Said manager Dave Barry: "We are not playing with the same high tempo as we did at the start of the season and we are not playing the quality football we produced then. It's difficult to put a finger on what's gone wrong."