Gritty Treaty United gain valuable league point at leaders Cork City
Alec Byrne's strike against former club ensured Treaty secured share of the spoils in 1-1 draw
TOMMY Barrett’s Treaty United recorded their second consecutive draw on Leeside, battling to a 1-1 stalemate against runaway leaders Cork City in tonight’s SSE Airtricity League First Division Munster derby.
The injury-hit Treaty United side listed just five outfield substitutes for Friday night's visit to Turners Cross. Winless since March 3, luckless Treaty faced the daunting challenge of a Cork City team unbeaten in sixteen sitting ten points clear at the top of the league.
Treaty were dealt an early body blow as referee Oliver Moran awarded the Leesiders an eighth minute penalty. Evan McLaughlin dispatched the spot kick with ease past Corey Chambers in the Treaty goal to score his fifth of the season.
Early substitute Leon Kirrane had Treaty’s first chance of the game as he got on the end of a Stephen Christopher cross but the Croom youngster dragged his shot wide in the twenty-seventh minute.
Moments later, Chambers was forced to make a top class save to prevent McLaughlin from doubling his and Cork’s tally but he got down low to parry his deflected shot.
The Rebels had another big chance in the 37th minute as highly rated sixteen-year-old Jaden Umeh got on the end of a Barry Coffey cross but he sent his header narrowly wide of the target.
The visitors then scored an equaliser just before the break as Alec Byrne buried a parried shot from Mark Byrne to ensure the sides went in level at the interval, 1-1.
Buoyed by their first-half display, Treaty came close to taking the lead just after the restart as Lee Devitt unleashed a powerful strike from range after snatching a loose ball played out from the City defence, which forced a good parry from Brad Wade.
Cork struggled to break down a very compact Treaty side with the Rebel’s first chance of the second half falling to McLaughlin in the 68th minute, but he drove his effort from twenty-five yards well over.
Devitt missed a good chance to win the game in the 82nd minute. He found himself free at the back post from in swinging corner, but he fired his effort from yards out over the crossbar.
Now winless in fourteen, Tommy Barrett’s men will turn their attention to the visit of bottom side Longford Town to the Markets Field on Friday night next. Meanwhile, table toppers Cork City will travel to the Midlands to face play-off chasing Athlone Town.
Cork City: Brad Wade, Cian Coleman, Charlie Lyons, Greg Bolger (Harvey Skieters 87), Evan McLaughlin, Barry Coffey, Cian Bargary, Sean Murray, Darragh Crowley, Jaden Umeh (Josh Fitzpatrick 59), Cian Murphy.
Treaty United: Corey Chambers, Ben O’Riordan, Lee Devitt, William Armshaw (Adam O’Halloran 70), Colin Conroy (Leon Kirrane 23), Stephen Christopher, Alec Byrne (Scott Kirkland 45), Evan O’Connor, Fionn Doherty, Mark Byrne Thomas Considine (Darren Nwanko 23).
Referee: Oliver Moran