Cork City 5
Galway United 3
THE 1,685 PRESENT AT Turner’s Cross tonight were treated to eight goals as Cork City moved to within four points of Dundalk at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
While it was a game the hosts always looked like winning, the coughing up of three goals to Galway — who have now accounted for five of the 13 conceded by the Rebel Army in the league — will be a concern for John Caulfield ahead of the title run-in.
Going forward, City were very lively, though there was the corollary of two of their goals being scored by stand-in right-back Dave Mulcahy. He opened the scoring in the sixth minute, netting following a scramble after a corner by Kevin O’Connor, and striker Seán Maguire doubled the lead on 22 with a beautiful volley from O’Connor’s cross.
With Galway’s first attempt on goal, they pulled one back as Killian Cantwell headed home Ryan Connolly’s free kick on 35, but Gary Buckley responded two minutes later from Karl Sheppard’s cross.
On the stroke of half-time, Mulcahy was on target again from Maguire’s pass and they should have probably added more in the second half’s nascent stages.
Instead, it was Galway half-time sub Kevin Devaney — brought on as they changed from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 — who got the next goal with a low curled finish from Connolly’s pass, but once more City bounced back, O’Connor with a long-range deflected effort after Greg Bolger rolled a free kick to him.
A sixth wasn’t forthcoming though and at the death Devaney got his second and Galway’s third.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Dave Mulcahy, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O’Connor (John Kavanagh, 88); Gearóid Morrissey, Greg Bolger (Colin Healy, 71); Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley (Gavan Holohan, 71), Stephen Dooley; Seán Maguire.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Killian Cantwell (Gary Shanahan, HT), Armin Aganovic, Stephen Folan; Colm Horgan, Alex Byrne, Conor Melody (Kevin Devaney, HT), Paul Sinnott (Enda Curran, 71), Marc Ludden; Ryan Connolly, Vinny Faherty.
Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary).
