Galway United 2
Cork City 2
CENTRE HALF Killian Cantwell was the unfortunate villain for Galway United as he plundered a ball over his own line as Cork City snatched a point in a thriller at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Vinny Faherty gave Galway as early lead before Stephen Dooley equalised and the superb Gary Shanahan gave Galway a 2-1 half-time lead.
But Cork salvaged a point when pressure led to Cantwell knocking the ball into his own goal in the 68th minute.
Faherty headed Galway in front after five minutes after Ryan Connolly swung in a delightful cross, and the ball nestled in the far corner of Mark McNulty’s net after a perfect connection.
Galway deserved to double their lead in the 18th minute when John Sullivan showed good composure and vision to send Ruairi Keating through, but his shot was blocked.
Cork worked their way upfield and Dooley showed his pace to out-sprint Colm Horgan, turn inside and pick his spot past Conor Winn.
Shanahan found the net next with an audacious lob after McNulty hit his clearance short down the left wing. The goalkeeper couldn’t retreat quickly enough, and Shanahan’s finish was exquisite.
The crowd of 1,557 in Eamonn Deacy Park enjoyed the contest and Cork got back on level terms when pressure from Eoghan O’Connell from a corner caused mayhem in the Galway box forced Cantwell to deflect the ball into his own net.
And then substitute Danny Morrissey nearly snatched victory for Cork but his shot was blocked on the line, before Padraic Cunningham hit the post for Galway in the closing stages of a good contest.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Killian Cantwell, Stephen Folan, Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan, Ryan Connolly, John Sullivan, Conor Melody; Ruairi Keating (Padraic Cunningham, 68), Vinny Faherty.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Eoghan O’Connell, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, John Dunleavy (Danny Morrissey, 53); Ian Turner (Gearoid Morrissey, 45), Greg Bolger, Garry Buckley, Stephen Dooley; Steven Beattie (Mark O’Sullivan 76), Karl Sheppard.
Referee: Robert Rogers (Dublin).
