National League / Premier Division / Derry City 2 Shelbourne 1: Stephen O'Flynn was hailed a hero at the Brandywell last night when his late, late 92nd-minute strike for Derry City ended Shelbourne's league title challenge.
And it was ironic that a Cork native should net the winning goal which sends the Candy Stripes to the top of the Premier Division table - until tomorrow at least.
Just when the near capacity attendance felt Cork City would be the only beneficiaries of what looked like being a share of the spoils, the "super sub" pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area to drive it high into the Shelbourne net. In what proved a thrilling encounter, it now appears the race for the championship involves two horses from the far north and south of the country.
Derry manager Stephen Kenny made his intentions clear when calling Mark Farren and Paddy McCourt ashore late in the second half, and those changes proved significant with Murphy and O'Flynn involved in the winning goal.
It was a pulsating encounter, which saw the home side off to the best possible start. Ciarán Martyn raced into the penalty area and when his close-range effort was blocked, Gary Beckett's flick across the face of goal was driven high into the net by Mark Farren - his 15th goal of the season.
Six minutes later the home side again highlighted their determination when Barry Molloy crashed a shot from the edge of the penalty off the Shelbourne crossbar. But Shelbourne regrouped and began to enjoy the lion's share of possession. However, for all their probing, they failed to seriously test goalkeeper David Forde.
In fact, Derry went close again in the 13th minute when Paddy McCourt glided past three Shelbourne players before his low-angled shot was parried and then gathered by goalkeeper Dean Delaney.
One minute before the half-time interval, Shelbourne appeared to have a good claim for a penalty when Barry Molloy brought Ollie Cahill to earth inside the box, but referee Ian Stokes signalled a corner. Then, early in the second half, Derry had claims for a spot-kick when Jim Crawford brought down Martyn, but Stokes judged the tackle to have been outside the area.
Six minutes after the break Glen Crowe and Richie Baker entered the fray at the expense of Wesley Hoolahan and Alan Reynolds. That change reaped dividends for Shelbourne in the 57th minute when Crowe got on to the end of a Ryan free to squeeze the ball under Forde from 10 yards.
Kenny's men battled back and the struck the woodwork in the 63rd minute - Killian Brennan's shot crashing off the bar. But then came that fantastic finish and a goal which sent the home crowd wild with delight.
DERRY CITY: Forde; Deery, Hutton, Delaney, Hargan; McCourt (O'Flynn, 75 mins), Martyn, Molloy, Brennan (McGlynn, 69 mins); Farren (Murphy, 83 mins), Beckett.
SHELBOURNE: Delaney; Heary, Rogers, Hawkins, Cahill; Ryan (Fitzpatrick, 87 mins), Crawford, Reynolds (Crowe, 51 mins), Hoolahan (Baker, 51); Ndo, Byrne.
Referee: I Stokes (Dublin).
