Cork City – Galway United

Recap

By Graham Cummins for EchoLive.ie

A late Maurice Nugent header goal earned 10-men Galway United 1-1 draw against Cork City in the First Division at Turner’s Cross.

Jack Baxter had given City the lead with 10 minutes remaining with a superb volley, but City were unable to see out the game.

City made two changes from their last outing against UCD with captain Gearoid Morrissey returning in place of the injured Alec Byrne, and Beineon O’Brien-Whitmarsh, who has impressed in recent performances, replaced Jack Walsh. Steven Beattie was on the bench for City after recovering from a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the team for over a month.

For Galway, former City players Conor McCormack and Gary Boylan started for the Tribesmen and Cork native David Hurley, fresh from scoring an injury-time winner against Wexford, returned to the Galway starting 11.

It was a cagey opening to the game, but City settled the better of the sides. Cian Bargary had an early effort saved after showing great pace to go past the Galway defence.

Cian Murphy and O’Brien-Whitmarsh were causing the tribesmen’s defence a lot of problems and the former came within inches of giving City the lead.

Healy’s side were showing the same commitment they had in recent games by working hard out of possession but looked much better with the ball. Not having a target man in the team meant City had to keep the ball on the deck. City looked comfortable on the ball and looked a confident side.

John Caulfield’s side were showing very little in the game, until Mike Place forced City goalkeeper Mark McNulty into making a save in the 21st minute.

The Tribesmen came within a whisker of taking the lead, but Hurley’s deflected effort drifted just wide of the City post.

Galway weren’t helping to make it a speculative game. They were reluctant to make short passes and were happy to play direct hopeful balls to Ruairi Keating and Padraic Cunningham.

Referee, Alan Carey was doing his best to try and prevent it from being a free-flowing game. Carey was quick to blow his whistle at every opportunity to award soft frees.

Carey was in action before half-time sending off Galway’s Stephen Walsh after the player was involved in an incident with Cian Coleman. The Galway bench weren’t happy with the referee’s decision and coach Johnny Glynn was also sent off for his protests.

Galway created the first opportunity of the second half, but Cunningham headed wide from a long Killian Brouder throw.

Being down to 10-men seemed to suit Galway. City struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities, and unlike in the first half, were sloppy in possession.

Galway experienced showed throughout the half and they forced City in making numerous mistakes in possession and were creating better chances even though they had a man less.

The second half replicated the first in terms of being stop-start. All the talk before the game was about Caulfield’s return to his former club but Carey was trying his best to make the game about him by being getting involved at every opportunity.

City substitute Dylan McGlade looked the most likely to open the scoring, coming close on two occasions before Baxter gave City the lead.

Unfortunately for City, they weren’t able to hold on, but can have little complaints about the result.