Dublin City - 0 Cork City - 1: Kevin Doyle's late winner brought a huge sigh of relief to Cork City as their traumatic week enjoyed a happy ending. Doyle, who had minutes earlier brought two excellent saves from Dublin goalkeeper Barry Ryan, finally brought a goal to a largely tedious encounter on 86 minutes when he headed home Liam Kearney's corner.

That capped a roller-coaster game which saw both sides enjoy good spells, with Cork's firepower coming out on top in the end.

The fear of losing was evident from the start, particularly from Cork who, despite a 4-4-2 formation, allowed Dublin much of the ball and relied on the pace of Doyle and John O'Flynn up front to try to open up the home side on the break.

Cork manager Pat Dolan dropped Neale Fenn, Cillian Lordan and Michael Nwankwo, the latter two not even making the bench, though that was where George O'Callaghan, publicly livid at being dropped for the defeat at Bohemians last week, remained.

Cork's approach almost worked, with the only noteworthy attack of the first half on 12 minutes almost bringing them the lead.

Kearney and Billy Woods, both restored to the side on either flank, brokered the opening with Ryan's alacrity off his line preventing a goal as he hacked clear at the latter's feet.

Dublin owned much of the ball for the remainder of the half, but, save for a powerful header from Ronnie Henry from Adam Rundle's corner that flew narrowly over, they scarcely threatened Michael Devine's goal.

Cork were much better in the second half, seizing the initiative to take the game to Dublin. Again, however, clear-cut chances were slow in coming, as Dublin settled and fought their way back.

Cork's Alan Bennett had some defending to do to clear at the near post after the hard-working Rundle had got down the line to whip over a low cross.

Woods then wasted a clear chance following a Cork counter on 76 minutes. Controlling Kearney's cross in plenty of space, Woods blazed his right-foot shot high over the bar from 12 yards.

Woods had worked hard throughout, though, and he burst in from the right wing again a minute later to drill a shot wide of Ryan's far post before Doyle rescued a much needed win.

DUBLIN CITY: Ryan; Henry, Cooper, A O'Connor (Friel, 80 mins), Rowland; C O'Connor, Tierney (Kenny, 80 mins), Crowley, Rundle; O'Neill, Nesovic (Farrell, 62 mins).

CORK CITY: Devine; Horgan, Bennett, Murray, Murphy; Woods, Gamble (O'Callaghan, 71 mins), O'Brien, Kearney; Doyle, O'Flynn (O'Halloran, 90 mins).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)