Galway United 3-2 Cork City

Hallelujah....A win at last. The threat of being the first Galway United side in history not to win a game at home has finally evaporated following this thrilling win over Cork City. In a game which resembled a cup tie for much of the 90 plus minutes, Jeff Kenna’s side held on for a precious win thanks to a brace from Jay O’Shea and a rare strike from Ciaran Foley.

For the fourth game in succession, a rarity in recent times, Galway United named the same starting eleven from their fully fit squad. Cork made three changes from the side which endured the marathon journey to Derry on Tuesday night, as Darragh Ryan, Alan O’Connor, and Denis Behan missed out, replaced by Billy Woods, Tim Kiely and Lawrie Dudfield.

Jay O’Shea showed just why he has been called up to the U-21 squad and is attracting the attention of cross-channel clubs with a blistering display of purposeful dribbling in the opening minutes. Twice he was involved, setting up Jonathan Keane for a shot and causing Michael Devine difficulty with a crisp ball from the right flank, before he capped it off with a goal of sheer class in the seventh minute.

Jonathan Keane’s through ball gave the winger space to run at Billy Woods, who he beat with ease on the right touchline before cutting inside and evading two more would-be challengers. Then, with a swish of his left foot from 20 yards, he drilled the pall past Michael Devine into the bottom corner.

It could have been the visitors who grabbed the first goal moments earlier when Joe Gamble ran on to a through ball but was denied by a last ditch tackle from Marc McCulloch. Cork responded well to the early concession, though, and were soon making use of the space out wide as Galway operated with a narrow midfield. Tim Kiely had already whipped in two dangerous balls before he got on the end of opposite winger Danny Murphy’s cross to flick past Gary Rogers from close range on 19 minutes.

Galway reawoke from their mid-half slumber and began to threaten once more, with John Russell and the maruding McCulloch prominent as they created a number of half chances.Russell headed wide, John Fitzgerald’s volley was similarly astray before Devine had to be out sharply to deny O’Shea a shooting chance.

For all their endeavour, Cork’s penalty area was relatively untroubled as Galway peppered the goal from long distance. It was from this range that Galway’s lead goal came from three minutes before the break, but it was from an unlikely source. Russell and McCulloch combined well on the left before finding Ciaran Foley on the edge of the D. A pass was expected, but Foley fooled everyone by shooting crisply to the bottom corner. A moments silence ensued before the realisation dawned that yes, Foley the battler had just scored a cracking goal and the home side had once more a cherished lead in their possession.

As much as the fear of conceding again enveloped the home fans at the start of the second half, accustomed to seeing their side squander or hand opponents soft goals, their team continued to press for another goal and it became end to end stuff for the majority of the half, with Kenna’s side shading it in the opening segment.

Russell turned and shot tamely at Devine before a breakaway led to him being presented with a glorious chance to give his side breathing space on 50 minutes. Unfortunately his first touch on approaching the area was poor, and Dan Murray got back to slide in and push the ball out for a corner. Jesper Jorgensen then benefitted from Russell’s perceptive pass to hold off Murray but his shot cannoned off the bar and drifted behind.

Then referee Mark Gough, who was the subject of the home fans’ ire in the first half, became an instant hero when he awarded a penalty after Jorgensen was brought down by a combination of Devine and a defender. The spot kick was awarded but it was five minutes before it was taken, as Devine had to depart on a stretcher. O’Shea stepped up and sent sub ‘keeper Mark McNulty the wrong way and found the bottom corner.

Without a home win all season, Galway were not about to make it easy on the home support, despite the two goal lead. Eighteen minutes from the end, Jonathan Keane, booked in the first half, received his marching orders for a clumsy challenge on Liam Kearney. Fingernails which looked to have been safe were now under threat again.

The subs benches were quickly emptied, and Lawrie Dudfield had three chances to make it properly nerve wracking for the Corribsiders, missing two by fractions before scrambling the third one in in the 87th minute.

With the injury to Devine adding five minutes to the estimated game time, home fans now turned pessimistic. Their mood improved slightly when the fourth official raised the number four in the air to lessen the agony. Agony it was indeed, as Cork threw players forward with abandon, launching long balls forward in search of a knock down or crumb with which to bag an equaliser.

The crowd held their breath as Alan O’Connor lined up a shot in the third minute of the extra time, but thankfully Rogers kept it at bay. United worked their way slowly downfield and Russell forced a corner that ate up the clock. To the relief of everyone, Gough blew his final whistle during the next phase and Galway were now off the bottom of the table.

Galway United: Gary Rogers; Seamus Conneely, Alan Keane, John Fitzgerald, Marc McCulloch; Jay O’Shea (Derek Glynn, 82), John Lester, Ciaran Foley, John Russell, Jonathan Keane; Jesper Jorgensen (Alan Murphy, 76).
Subs not used: Alvin Rouse, Iarfhlaith Davoren,Vinny Faherty.

Cork City: Michael Devine (MarkMcNulty, 67); Neal Horgan, Dan Murray, Pat Sullivan, Danny Murphy; Billy Woods (Alan O'Connor, 62), Joe Gamble, Darren Murphy, Timmy Kiely (Gareth Cambridge, 84); Lawrie Dudfield, Liam Kearney.
Subs not used: Eoin Forde, Sean Kelly.

Referee: Mark Gough.

Attendance:1,471.

Man of the Match: Ciaran Foley (Galway United).