Sam Todd was Derry City’s saviour as the substitute’s powerful header ensured their progress to the FAI Cup quarter-finals at Cork City’s expense.
The Candystripes had to weather a Leeside storm in the first half before their corner-kick dominance beat the home side into submission after the break.
Cork may be runaway First Division leaders but their first-half performance to carve Derry open was by far their best of the season in front of 3,169 fans at Turner’s Cross. But the visitors outlasted their hosts to come good in the end.
There was a minute’s silence before kick-off for legendary Derry manager Jim McLaughlin, who led his hometown club to a historic treble in 1989.
Cork had their star partnership of Seani Maguire and Ruairí Keating playing together for the first time. Their link-up play and pressing were instantly impressive as Derry, lining up without regular centre-half Mark Connolly, struggled to contain their movement.
Apart from an early lapse in concentration by Charlie Lyons, which went unpunished by Paul McMullan, all the chances belonged to the hosts.
Malik Dijksteel was upping his game to greater heights to supply his new teammates. The Dutch winger created four big chances; two each for Maguire and Keating.
Maguire pushed his efforts wide while Keating fired over from a corner before being denied by Brian Maher.
City beat Maher twice in the three minutes before half-time but Cathal O’Sullivan was offside for the first before Keating’s effort was taken off the line by Ciarán Coll. Derry hanging on to keep it scoreless at the break.
They called on Todd to shore up a rejigged backline and he almost found the breakthrough from a corner at the other end. He missed the target, though, as did Pat Hoban from a similar Ben Doherty delivery.
But third time was the charm as the left-back’s inswinger was met by Todd to power past Brad Wade for the 71st-minute winner.
The powerful centre-back almost added another and Shane McEleney also came close as the home defence failed to cope against Derry’s corner-kick bombardment.
Cork kept fighting and with nine minutes to play, Keating’s rasper was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Maher. That was the closest they would come as Derry held on.
