Judged on this game, Cork City are no closer to conceding that the season holds nothing for them than their visitors are of considering that this league title is in the bag. The result, however, was a blow to Cork's hopes of a place in Europe while the Dubliners, after winning five league games on the trot, have good reason to be happy with a point.
On balance the draw was a fair result. Both sides battled hard, created chances and for spells played some attractive football. But City's dominance over the closing 20 minutes, with Pat Morley and substitutes John Caulfield and Tony Tynan outstanding, could easily have yielded the win.
If Shelbourne had a hero during those late exchanges it was Tony McCarthy who on three occasions blocked decent looking efforts. Around him the normally solid Shelbourne defence were having to ride their luck under sustained pressure after Caulfield had levelled matters in the 73rd minute.
Tynan's close range shot in the last minute of normal time, after Morley had stepped over a low-driven, Ollie Cahill cross, was as close as they came but on that occasion Steve Williams reacted wonderfully to push the ball behind for a corner.
It was an impressive rally from a City side that were missing Declan Daly, Colin O'Brien and Derek Coughlin. Damien O'Rourke was one of those to benefit from their absence and the young centre-half once again marked himself out as a player of some promise.
Shelbourne's best chance of the second half arrived just after the hour when Pat Fenlon's corner was turned back across the goal by Pat Scully only for Richie Baker (who received the Eircom player of the month award for December before the start of the game) to head it high over the bar.
Moments before Caulfield had equalised, Baker had again gone within a whisker of doubling the visitors' lead, his flick on James Keddy's free from the left was enough to beat the stranded Michael Devine but not the crossbar.
Approaching the halfway point in the first period it had taken a couple of good saves by Devine to prevent the hosts falling behind. However, having done well to deprive Richie Foran and Dessie Baker, he promptly handed Paul Doolin the opening goal on a plate. Flapping at Fenlon's corner, he was forced to look on as Doolin buried the loose ball from eight yards out.
It must have come as some consolation to the home goalkeeper that it was his long clearance towards Morley which initiated City's equaliser.
For his manager, meanwhile, there was relief that his team had in just about every area of the pitch shown more "passion and pride" than during the cup exit a week ago. However, City are acutely aware that time is not on their side.
CORK CITY: Devine; O'Halloran, O'Rourke, Napier, Horgan; Buckley, Gaughan, Herrick, Cahill; Mulligan Morley. Subs: Tynan for Buckley (60 mins); Caulfield for Mulligan (70 mins).
SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Scully, McCarthy, D Geoghegan; R Baker, Fenlon, Doolin, Keddy; D Baker, Foran. Subs: Crawford for Doolin (75 mins), Sheridan for Foran (86 mins).
Referee: D O'Hanlon (Waterford).
