RUAIRÍ KEATING’S penalty helped Tim Clancy maintain his unbeaten streak over former Drogheda United sidekick Kevin Doherty.
But the visiting Drogs boss will feel a black cat must have crossed his path as he wonders how his side did not leave Cork with more than a point.
It may well have happened — one such feline briefly invaded the pitch in the second half.
The cat, like Taoiseach Micheál Martin, ignored the fact that this game was on TV and turned out for a clash in which Drogheda saw chance after chance after chance somehow stay out.
Teenager Warren Davis eventually got their equaliser five days short of his 20th birthday.
But he was earlier controversially denied a third-minute opener by referee Rob Hennessy for encroachment.
The draw in front of 4,244 fans at Turner’s Cross saw the surprise league leaders slip off the summit behind St Patrick’s Athletic and Galway United.
Without suspended captain Charlie Lyons, Cork boss Clancy reverted to a back four and gave striker Harvey Skieters his first Premier Division start. And while Seani Maguire remains absent, teenage prodigy Cathal O’Sullivan returned off the bench.
Doherty enjoyed a double defensive boost with Aaron Harper-Bailey and James Bolger fit to start.
The game began with drama at both ends. Ryan Brennan’s misdirected back-pass was picked off by Keating, whose instinctive shot was pulled wide.
Drogs then had the ball in the City net when Milan Mbeng tapped a goal-kick sideways to Tein Troost and Davis charged the keeper down.
After a glance at linesman Darragh Keegan, Hennessy ruled out the goal for Davis tiptoeing inside the box before play was restarted. The visitors were furious at the marginal call.
City’s hopes of a first clean sheet of the season continued to look distant. When Troost failed to cross, Freddie Anderson threw his body on the line to block from Davis and Conor Keeley.
After Mbeng’s miscued clearance, Troost saved from Davis and Bolger’s follow-up was taken off the line by Darragh Crowley.
The away centre-backs caused further consternation in the air when Keeley knocked down for Bolger, who snatched wide.
Yet against the run of play, City nicked the opening goal in the 33rd minute.
After good play from Kitt Nelson and Benny Couto, Crowley kept the ball alive. His cross struck Harper-Bailey’s arm and Hennessy pointed to the spot.
Keating leathered a confident penalty into the roof of the net for his third of the season.
Having weathered the storm, the home side then came close again, Skieters’ audacious overhead kick and Couto’s dipping shot both whistling over the visitors’ crossbar.
But Drogs regained the momentum in the second half. Thomas Oluwa’s shot was blocked by Anderson and his rebound saved.
In the 62nd minute, they poached a deserved leveller. Brennan dispossessed O’Sullivan and half-time sub Luke Heeney played a one-two to bypass the City midfield. Davis collected the through-ball, cut back on to his left and fired into the far corner.
The tempo dropped, with the cat’s brief appearance the highlight of the latter stages, but Heeney could have won it only for his half-volley being well saved by Troost, while Oluwa had an opening but could not connect with Shane Farrell’s pass.
SUN STAR MAN
Benny Couto (Cork City)
CORK CITY: Troost 7; Crowley 7, Mbeng 7, Anderson 7, Couto 8; Nolan 6, S Murray 6, Shipston 7, Nelson 7; Keating 7, Skieters 6 (O’Sullivan 61, 6).
DROGHEDA UNITED: Dennison 6; Lambe 6, Bolger 7 (Cruise 87, 6), C Keeley 7, Harper-Bailey 6, Kane 7; Farrell 8, Brennan 6, Markey 6 (Heeney 46, 7); Oluwa 6 (Kareem 90, 6), Davis 7 (Bawa 72, 6).
REFEREE: R Hennessy (Limerick
