Report: Galway Utd 1 - 3 Cork City

Cork City cruised to their first away win of the season as defensive lapses once again cost Galway Utd dear at Terryland Park this evening. John O’Flynn, George O’Callaghan and Dave Mooney provided the finishing touches for the Leesiders as Galway managed to find the net for the first time at home this season..

Not for the first time this year, Galway matched their much vaunted opposition early on, with Alan Keane adopting an unfamiliar left midfield role due to the long injury list. But once more the concession of a soft goal undermined their efforts.

A long through ball in the 18th minute posed little danger as ‘keeper Gary Rogers advanced to collect. Shockingly, the ball evaded his grasp as he slid out, and John O’Flynn will not have an easier task all season as he passed the ball into an empty net.

Mooney could have made it twice the agony for the home fans within minutes, as George O’Callaghan jinked his way to the right byline before dinking a cross over that Mooney headed inches wide.

The fluid nature of Cork’s 4-3-3 formation was causing Galway problems, even allowing for Liam Kearney’s early withdrawal who was replaced by Darragh Ryan. The midfield trio of O’Callaghan, Joe Gamble and Colin Healy took it in turn to bomb forward and John Lester and Ciaran Foley struggled to keep track of them.

Galway, with Derek Glynn making a welcome return, struggled to carve open the City defence, and were restricted to a long range effort from Lester in the 36th minute and Glynn’s attempted chip which drifted badly wide.

The visitors got their second and it was all of O’Callaghan’s making. The midfielder was fouled on the edge of the area in the 42nd minute after beating two challenges, and he then stepped up to take the kick. His effort was unspectacular, but the Galway wall had parted like the Red Sea and Rogers could only palm the ball to the bottom corner.

Cork had assumed a winning position by half time without getting out of second gear.

Marc McCulloch almost lifted the home crowd’s spirits within sixty seconds of the restart. The left back advanced to the corner of the box, and his volleyed effort brought the save of the game from Michael Devine as he got his fingertips on the ball to divert it for a corner.

O’Callaghan then forced a save from Rogers as he headed Mooney’s right wing cross goalwards. Mallow native and former Cork striker Stephen O’Flynn was introduced for his first league action of the campaign as Billy Clery sought to give his attack a more physical edge.

With his side in a commanding position, Alan Matthews reverted to a slightly more defensive 4-4-2 set-up. Clery opted for three at the back with 20 minutes remaining, as promising youngster Jason Molloy entered the fray.

Molloy proved his worth with five minutes remaining as he latched onto a long ball, dinked the ball over Neal Horgan before repeating the trick as Michael Devine advanced for his first senior goal for the club. Galway sensed a comeback was on the cards, but the visitors struck on the break as Utd poured forward. O’Flynn countered and fed Mooney, who finished coolly to wrap up the points for Cork City.

Galway Utd: Rogers; Nooitmeer, Charles, Fitzgerald, McCulloch; Deegan, Lester, Foley, Keane (Molloy 71); Leech, Glynn (O’Flynn 54).
Subs not used: Rouse, O’Shea, Fenn.
Goals: Molloy 85

Cork City: Devine; Horgan, Murray, Murphy, Lordan; Gamble, Healy, O’Callaghan; Kearney (Ryan 13(Behan 79), O’Flynn (O'Connor 87), Mooney.
Subs not used: McNulty, Mulcahy.
Goals: O’Flynn 18, O’Callaghan 42, Mooney 87

Man of the Match: George O'Callaghan
Referee: T.Connolly
Attendance: 1,410