Cork City 2
Galway United 0
Cork City moved up to fourth in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as goals from Karl Sheppard and Alan Bennett were sufficient to give them the three points against Galway United at Turner’s Cross tonight.
Having struggled against a resolute Galway defence for the opening half-hour, John Caulfield’s side finally got going in the final quarter of an hour before half-time. First, Mark O’Sullivan forced a corner after some nice interplay and then, from that, Billy Dennehy’s delivery allowed Sheppard to nip in at the back post for his first goal for the club.
Shortly before half-time, the lead could have been doubled as Sheppard fizzed over a low cross from the left which O’Sullivan met on the volley but the ball flew just wide.
City retained the momentum upon the resumption, Sheppard heading over from another dangerous Dennehy delivery while Galway defender Stephen Walsh did well to cut out a Darren Dennehy ball for John O’Flynn.
Walsh was also involved in Galway’s best chance, his header striking team-mate Jake Keegan and flying over on 58, but three minutes later Cork had doubled their lead.
After Walsh did well to block Darren Dennehy’s shot for a corner, Billy Dennehy was again the instigator, his fine ball allowing Bennett to head home.
That killed the game off as a contest, with John Kavanagh and Ross Gaynor going close for City as they looked for another. Late on, Gary Shanahan could have pulled a goal back for Galway but Mark McNulty did well to stop his effort and Cork saw out the game.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; John Kavanagh, Alan Bennett, Darren Dennehy, Ross Gaynor; Liam Miller, John Dunleavy; Mark O’Sullivan (John O’Flynn 56), Gavan Holohan (Kieran Djilali 72), Billy Dennehy (Liam Kearney 90); Karl Sheppard.
GALWAY UNITED: Connor Gleeson; Alex Byrne, Andy O’Connell, Stephen Walsh, Kevin Garcia (Cormac Rafferty 55); Paul Sinnott, David O’Leary; Gary Shanahan, Ryan Connolly (Pádraic Cunnigham 40), Jason Molloy (Conor Barry 90); Jake Keegan.
Referee: Pádraigh Sutton (Clare).
