Ten-man Cork take point - December 11, 2000
Derry City 1 Cork City 1
Cork boss Derek Mountfield's mournful violin was playing a familiar tune yesterday - "The Blind Irish Referee" - after skipper Declan Daly was sent off with thirty minutes to go. But at least Mountfield was happy about something, after seeing his ten-man team leave the Brandywell with a hard-earned point.
"I thought the decision to send Declan Daly off was very harsh. Both players had one eye on the ball while challenging for possession. It was not a case of a last man challenge or a professional foul," Mountfield said, but went on to express himself as "delighted" with the draw.
Even before Daly's departure, the draw looked beyond the visitors' capabilities, with Derry making all the early running.
In the 16th minute, Gary Beckett picked up the ball in midfield and switched play to Eamonn Doherty, who held off Fergal O'Donoghue and stroked the ball past Michael Devine.
Doherty could have made it 2-0 on the half-hour, but Devine brilliantly saved his rasping shot.
But Cork upped their game in the second half and just seven minutes had elapsed when Ollie Cahill squared the ball for Pat Morley to equalise. The goal came in the nick of time for Cork because eight minutes later Daly was dismissed.
Derry City: Payne, McCallion, Harkin, Hutton, Hargan, Doherty, Hegarty, McLaughlin, McCready, Coyle, Beckett
Subs: Parkhouse for Coyle 45, Kelly for Beckett 55, Gallagher for McCready 81
Goal: Doherty 16
Booked: Doherty, McLaughlin
Cork City: Devine, Napier, Daly, Coughlan, O'Donoghue, Tynan, Gaughan, Herrick, Cahill, Morley, Caulfield
Subs: O'Halloran for O'Donoghue 37, O'Brien for Caulfield 60, Flanagan for Tynan 72
Goal: Morley 52
Booked: Morley
Sent off: Daly
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin)