Bann denied by final hit of the game after late Dowds double

After slipping to a 0-0 stalemate with Three Rock Rovers the day before, forward Stephen Dowds had netted two final quarter goals to put Bann in a winning position before Cork rallied back to break Bann hearts and leave Havelock with a 2-2 draw.

It was Philip Brownlow who salvaged a point from the weekend for Cork C of I with the very last touch.

Indeed, he scored in the last minute of both the first and second half for his side, annulling the two goals from Dowds.

An even first quarter ended scoreless with both sides enjoying good possession but created few chances. Fraser Mills’ corner-switch was deflected wide.

Bann goalkeeper Gareth Lennox was called on for the first time when he made a great reflex save from John Jermyn while Ross Beattie stroked an effort wide on his reverse with Bann’s best chance.

Their thorn in the side, Brownlow, though, made it 1-0 with one of the last touches of the half for 1-0.

Cork C of I looked to defend that lead for much of the third quarter with the visitors sitting very deep.

It served to frustrate Bann, who were making some decent moves but the final pass evaded them.

This changed in the final quarter when Dowds burst into the circle and was deemed to have been felled illegally by a Cork man.

The forward dusted himself off to equalise from the penalty spot.

With only a few minutes remaining, Dowds struck again when Bruce McCandless picked him out in the circle and the scorer won a corner, which he duly whipped into the corner of the net with a ruthless effort.

It left Bann in a winning position and they looked set to close out the tie before a misplaced pass, under pressure, was intercepted and worked into Brownlow who levelled with practically the last touch of the game.

Bann have no match this weekend before they travel to take on Railway Union in the Irish Senior Cup on Saturday 28th November.