Cork City almost steal late winner in stalemate with champions Shamrock Rovers

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division: Cork City 0 Shamrock Rovers 0

Cork City almost stole a late winner against newly crowned four-in-a-row champions Shamrock Rovers but had to settle for a scoreless draw in this dead-rubber contest.

In a match limping to a conclusion, City almost took a momentum-building victory from their final home game of the season before a relegation play-off against either Waterford or Cobh Ramblers.

In the sole minute of stoppage time, Leon Pohls made a full-stretch save to deny Barry Coffey before flying through the air to tip away Andrii Kravchuk’s cross-shot.

The draw extended Rovers’ unbeaten run to 10 games even with a much-changed side in front of 2,854 fans at Turner’s Cross.

Stephen Bradley allowed his title winners to celebrate as he made 10 changes to their starting team. Captain Lee Grace was the only player retained as Bradley gave first League starts to Kieran Cruise, Simon Power, and Real Madrid-linked teenager Naj Razi.

City were without defenders Kevin Custovic and Jonas Hakkinen so John O’Donovan and Malik Dijksteel came in from the start.

They were overrun in the first half as Rovers exploited the open spaces in City’s midfield. The hosts’ only shot in the first half arrived in the second minute when Cian Coleman headed Cian Bargary’s deep cress straight at Pohls.

Ireland U21 international Tiernan Brooks continued in the City goal and he was busy right from the off, scrambling to save from Liam Burt and parrying away a Power free-kick. In between, a brilliant move from man of the match Conan Noonan and Aaron Greene played in Power to lob the stranded Brooks but it drifted just wide.

In all, Rovers created 10 shots in the opening half and nine of them came from either Power