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Deasy's late strike earns Cork a share of the spoils

Sligo Rovers 2 Cork City 2: SUPER SUBS Paul Deasy and Gareth Cambridge engineered a dramatic late goal to give Cork City a hard…

Mon Sept 21 2009 - 01:00

Sligo Rovers 2 Cork City 2:SUPER SUBS Paul Deasy and Gareth Cambridge engineered a dramatic late goal to give Cork City a hard-earned share of the points in this Setanta Cup first round game at the Showgrounds on Saturday.

Sligo’s habit of conceding late goals resurfaced when it looked as if Paul Cooke’s side were heading for victory in their first ever outing in the competition with Deasy rattling Ciarán Kelly’s net in the 90th minute.

The Leesiders were firing on all cylinders in the tense closing minutes when a clever cross by Cambridge found Deasy, who made no mistake from close range.

Guntars Silagailis had put Cork ahead in the 15th minute, cleverly side-footing the ball to the net from Billy Dennehy’s inch-perfect cross.

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But despite Cooke resting six of his first-team players, including goalkeeper Richard Brush, striker Raffaele Cretaro and midfielder Conor O’Grady, Sligo equalised a minute before half-time with Richie Ryan whipping the ball low into the Cork net.

The home side went in front after 58 minutes when Dean Marshall slotted home and at that stage Sligo were looking good.

But mindful of their Ford FAI Cup exit to Sligo in a third round replay at the same venue earlier in the season, Deasy’s last-gasp equaliser brought some measure of compensation for Paul Doolin’s visiting side.

Afterwards Cork boss Doolin said he was “delighted” with the draw.

“I thought we were the better side over the 90 minutes and we should have been three up. It’s difficult to get anything here at the Showgrounds and Sligo have a very strong squad,” said Doolin.

Cooke, meanwhile, was pleased to have held on for the draw and he was full of praise for the performances of his young players which, he said, “augurs well for the future”.

SLIGO ROVERS: Kelly, Duffy, Keane, Camano, Rafter, O'Mahony, Marshall, Ryan, Turner, Meenan, Morrison. Subs: McGoldrick for Morrison (58 mins); Ventre for Duffy (65 mins); Doyle for Rafter (76 mins).

CORK CITY: McNulty, Murphy, Mulcahy, O'Halloran, Gamble, Kudozovic, Dennehy, Lordan, O'Donnell, O'Neill, Silagailis. Subs: Cambridge for O'Halloran (40 mins); Deasy for Silagailis (73 mins).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).