CCFC 0-1 Galway

By Graham Cummins for EchoLive.ie

Cork City missed the chance to make it two wins from two after being defeated by Galway United in their First Division at Turners Cross on Friday night in front of 4,984 spectators.

Ed McCarthy got the only goal of the game to give the visitors a hard-earned three points after they had to play the final 40 minutes of the match with 10-men.

The result was harsh on City who created the best chances throughout the contest but were unable to find a way past Galway goalkeeper Conor Kearns who was excellent on the night.

It was a bright opening to the game. Galway started impressively and were wasteful with an opportunity early on. Down the other end; fresh from his hat-trick against Bray, Dylan McGlade tried his luck from a long-range free-kick but Kearns dealt comfortably with the strike.

Both sides opted to play with a 4-4-2 formation and it was Galway that settled the better of the two teams in the opening third of the first half with Manu Dimas, in particular, standing out in the match. The striker made it difficult for the City defence with his aerial presence and also his ability to drift into pockets.

Cian Murphy was doing his best to make his impact on the game, and the City forward did look threatening throughout causing the Galway defence several problems with his pace.

City grew into the game with Cian Bargary showing some great determination to get past Alex Murphy and drive into the Galway penalty area, but unfortunately for City, no one was able to capitalise by getting on the end of his wonderful ball across the six-yard box.

Galway took the lead in the 37th minute after some excellent play down the left by the sought-after Murphy and his low driven cross was met by the onrushing McCarthy who placed his close-ranged effort high into the City net.

City should have been level shortly afterwards but were superbly denied twice by Kearns. First, the keeper was on hand to deny former Galway player Ruairi Keating’s close-range header and then Kearns did even better by preventing Cian Coleman from levelling the game before the half-time whistle.

Galway were reduced to 10-men five minutes into the second half after Wilson Waweru received his second yellow card of the night for a challenge on Jonas Hakkinen. Things could have been different for the Tribesmen had they been awarded a penalty in the build-up to the sending-off after the ball appeared to hit the arm of Bargary in the City penalty area.

Galway showed little ambition in attack and frustrated City with their defensive discipline. When Healy’s side did manage to get past the Galway defence; they were again denied by Kearns. The former UCD keeper was quick off his line to narrow the angle and deny Bargary before stopping the follow-up shot from Keating.

City were piling on the pressure but were slow at times with their passing which made it easy for Galway to defend against.

The hosts thought they had levelled the game with ten minutes remaining but Barry Coffey’s goal was ruled out after the player was judged to have been in an offside position.

City wasted opportunities to level the game late on but neither Murphy or Bargary could hit the target.

CITY: Harrington; Hakkinen (Srbely 64), Coleman, Gilchrist, O’Connor; Bargary, Bolger (Healy 75), Coffey, McGlade (Doona 24); Keating, Murphy.

GALWAY: Kearns; O’Keeffe, Brouder, Portilla, Murphy; McCormack, Hurley (Lyons 90), McCarthy, Rowe (Boylan); Dimas (Adeyemo 65), Waweru.

Referee: E O’Shea

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