- Dylan O'Connell
- Sat, May 22 2021
Dylan O’Connell reports from Turner’s Cross
A goal from Maurice Nugent at the 90th minute in Turner’s Cross salvaged a point for ten-man Galway United against Cork City on Friday evening.
The late goal cancelled out Jack Baxter’s stunning shot from distance with ten minutes remaining in this hot tempered First Division clash.
This game was also John Caulfield’s first game back at Turner’s Cross since he departed the club in May 2019, after spending five and a half seasons at the Rebel Army.
Caulfield faced Colin Healy in the other dugout, the retired midfielder who played a key role in his successes at City.
The familiarly between the team teams sparked an explosive first half. Seconds from kick-off, Cian Bargary broke free down the left hand flank and ran into space. The forward fired venously at Conor Kearns, who dived low to the far post and saved.
Gearoid Morrissey stole possession for City and played a quick pass to Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh, who laid the ball off for Cian Murphy. The striker carried it into space and fired wide from a tight angle.
A corner ball from David Hurley gave Galway their first clear cut chance of the game. The ball whizzed across the area, narrowly missing Conor McCormack, and fell too Killian Brouder who was unmarked and facing goal.
The defender took a second to take a touch and in the moment of liminality, the City defence converged and cleared.
Minutes before the half-time break, the referee and linesman had a lengthy discussion over a tangle between Cian Coleman and Stephen Walsh. After much deliberation, a red card was shown to the defender and Galway were down to ten men.
The second half began with a flurry of chances for Galway. The first saw an unmarked Carlton Ubaezuonu tap into an empty goal, only for this to be ruled out for offside.
Then Mikey Place tried his luck from distance and was died by a stretched save from Mark McNulty.
It took City awhile to find their attacking stride in the second half and when they did, Dylan McGlade flourished. From his position of right wing, he tormented Galway with his quick footed side stepping abilities.
He would have been with a spectacular effort if not for a last grasp block from Brouder, who saved his team with a defiant block in front of goal.
The breakthrough for City came from a spectacular strike from Jack Baxter. The forward found himself free on the edge of the area following a corner from Baxter. He fired first time and the ball shot across and into the top corner.
Galway poured forward from the restart in search of an equaliser. Ruairi Keating nearly poked a ball in, but a scrambling City defence covered.
For the next few minutes chaos reigned, and in the middle of everything, Nugent managed to get free. The defender smashed in a squared ball from close range, rescuing a point for United.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Jonas Hakkinen, Ronan Hurley (Dylan McGlade 10), Gordon Walker; Darragh Crowley, Cian Coleman, Jack Baxter, Cian Bargary, Gearóid Morrissey (c); Cian Murphy (Jack Walsh 79), Beineon O'Brien Whitmarsh.
Subs not used: Dale Holland, George Heaven, David Harrington, Steven Beattie, Josh Honohan, Uniss Kargbo, Jamie Wynne.
Booked: Jonas Hakkinen (31), Gearóid Morrissey (56), Dylan McGlade (58), Gordon Walker (61), Cian Murphy (66), Beineon O'Brien Whitmarsh (90).
Galway United: Conor Kearns; Stephen Walsh, Killian Brouder, Gary Boylan; Carlton Ubaezuonu, Mikey Place, Maurice Nugent, Conor McCormack (c), David Hurley; Ruairi Keating, Padraic Cunningham.
Subs not used: Wilson Waweru, Mikie Rowe, Colin Kelly, Christopher Horgan, Kevin Horgan, Shane Duggan, Stephen Christopher.
Booked: Conor McCormack (28) ,Padraic Cunningham (57) ,Gary Boylan (66) David Hurley (78).
Sent off: Stephen Walsh (44).
Referee: Alan Carey.
