Galway United 1
Cork City 1
John Fallon reports from Eamonnn Deacy Park
RUNAWAY LEADERS CORK City surrendered their magnificent winning start to the season when they were held by a fired-up Galway United side in a cracking contest at Eamonn Deacy Park.
It was no more than Galway deserved after a battling performance as they became the first side to take points off Cork City this season.
Cork knew from early in the game that they would have to dig deep if they were to extend their superb winning run to 13 games.
Indeed, Galway were unfortunate not to be in front at the break as they created the better chances of an entertaining opening half.
Kevin Devaney set the tempo with a couple of early efforts as Shane Keegan’s men pushed forward from the outset.
But it was Kevin O’Connor who came closest to breaking the deadlock after 10 minutes when his free from the edge of the box seemed destined for the top left corner until Conor Winn got a hand to it to turn it around the post.
Galway, bidding to extend their unbeaten league run to six, twice went close to taking a shock lead midway through the half.
Padraic Cunningham flashed a glancing header just wide from a Marc Ludden cross after 26 minutes and then ex-Cork play Gavan Holohan had a cracking shot turned away for a corner by Mark McNulty.
The game exploded into action in the third quarter, with Cork hitting the front after 59 minutes when Conor McCormack flashed a low shot to the net via a deflection from Stevie Folan.
But Folan made amends in less than a minute when he headed the equaliser with a looping header from a free from midfield by Conor Horgan.
Both had chances to win it after that with Jimmy Keohane coming close to snatching it three minutes from time but he blasted over from close range.
GALWAY UNITED: Conor Winn; Gary Shanahan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Colm Horgan; Ronan Murray, Gavin Holohan, Alex Byrne, Kevin Devaney (Jesse Devers 93), Marc Ludden; Padraic Cunningham.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie (Alan Bennett ’67), John Dunleavy, Ryan Delaney, Kevin O’Connor; Gearóid Morrissey (Jimmy Keohane ’43), Conor McCormack; Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley, Stephen Dooley; Seán Maguire.
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin).
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