Cork City set pieces do the damage
Dan Murray headed City in front early on, and a Colm Horgan own-goal saw them double their lead on the stroke of half time.
Galway got right back into the game early after the restart when Jason Molloy scored the goal of the night, before Garry Buckley secure the points late on for John Caulfield’s charges.
The game got off to a slow start with former Galway striker Karl Sheppard on Cork City’s bench.
The hosts were chasing four home wins on the trot but almost fell behind early on when John Kavanagh’s fine cross from the right flank was almost sent into his own net by Samuel Oji, but the ball somehow came off the underside of the bar and United cleared.
With 11 minutes on the clock, the Leesiders hit the front when Billy Dennehy’s free kick from the right was met by Dan Murray’s looping header which found the bottom corner of the net.
Former Cork boss Tommy Dunne will not have been best pleased as his current side conceded another goal from a set piece.
Billy Dennehy then pulled a low snapshot inches wide of the upright before lofting a dangerous free kick into the box which was headed clear.
On 28 minutes Galway had their best chance of the half when Walsh beat Mark O’Sullivan to a loose ball and hoofed it forward, and as the wind carried it goalwards it fell to Enda Curran but his first-time effort blazed over.
Former Cork midfielder David O’Leary then fed a pinpoint pass through to Jake Keegan but the American failed to connect with conviction and his shot squirmed wide.
Ten minutes before the break O’Sullivan had a go from ten yards but his shot was blocked.
by the United defence, as they also cleared the resulting corner as Cork chased a second.
As half-time approached a slick Cork counter attack saw John Kavangh cross for Billy Dennehy from the right; but his header sailed over.
On the stroke of half time City doubled their lead from another set piece, as Billy Dennehy’s free was toe-poked into his own net by the unlucky Colm Horgan.
After the restart Galway got right back into the game when Jason Molloy let fly from almost thirty yards to shoot nto the top corner giving Mark McNulty no chance in a clear contender for June goal of the month.
Moments later Galway went on the hunt again with Keegan dancing down the left and providing a low ball into the box aimed at Curran, but McNulty was alert to gather the danger.
With 20 minutes to go Dennehy struck the wall with a free kick and collected the rebound to rattle the post.
At the other end Conor Gleeson showed firm hands to deny Colin Healy before Sheppard was introduced.
As the final 20 minutes approached Dennehy belted another free-kick goalwards and despite only finding the wall, he struck the rebound first-time to rattle the outside of the post.
Galway huffed and puffed to get back on level terms but their efforts were in vain as their defensive work on set pieces again let them down for Cork to wrap up the points, with a Healy corner falling to Garry Buckley who tucked into the roof of the net.
Galway substitute Padraic Cunningham produced a top save from McNulty late on but it wasn’t to be for Tommy Dunne against his former club as Cork’s title challenge remains very much intact.
C Gleeson; C Horgan, S Oji, S Walsh, M Ludden; G Shanahan, D O’Leary, R Connolly, J Molloy; J Keegan, E Curran (P Cunningham 82mins).
M McNulty; J Kavanagh, D Murray, D Dennehy, K O’Connor; C Healy, L Miller (R Gaynor 84mins); L Kearney (K Sheppard 59mins), G Buckley, B Dennehy; M O’Sullivan (M McSweeney 79mins).
David McKeon (Dublin)
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