Two goals in two minutes see Galway postpone City's title celebrations
TITLE RACE STILL ON: Conor O'Keeffe of Galway United celebrates after his side's victory in the SSE Airtricity League First Division match between Galway United and Cork City at Eamonn Deacy Park in Galway. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
On a fraught night by the Corrib, John Caulfield stalled the resurrection of the club he brought to dizzying heights five years ago.
City were on the cusp of their first national silverware for almost five years – 1-0 up with 18 minutes to play – when Galway produced a comeback to add another twist to an intriguing First Division title race.
Barry Coffey’s deflected goal five minutes had City on course for the win that would wrap up promotion with three games left but Wilson Waweru and Charlie Lyons struck two minutes apart to inflict only the third defeat of the season on the Rebels.
It cuts the leaders’ buffer to seven points – four if the Tribsemen win their game in hand against Treaty on Friday week – but City can still seal their top-flight return by beating Wexford at Turners Cross on October 7.
Another raucous atmosphere for the meeting of first and second threatened to get ugly after Coffey’s opener when referee Oliver Moran threatened to abandon the game if another pitch invasion was to occur. Both clubs can expect fines for some of the disturbances.
Turnouts accumulating near 16,000 had paid in to watch the three previous meetings of the division’s duopoly, reaping meagre rations in terms of goals. A red card in each surpassed the number of goals over the 180 minutes and the early emphasis on caginess suggested a similar pattern was in store.
Midfield battles were the dominant theme, with Aaron Bolger availing of Conor McCormack’s injury-enforced absence from the Galway engine-room to take a stranglehold.
Galway’s Spaniard Diego Portilla snatched at a chance from a half-cleared free to volley over on 14 minutes before Darragh Crowley at the other end was equally unconvincing on 11 minutes with a shot that failed to trouble Conor Kearns.
Matt Healy was the matchwinner on his last trip to this venue and he almost set up the breakthrough on this occasion with a delicious corner. Again, his precision was inch-perfect, inviting Ally Gilchrist to soar into the air and crash his header off the underside of the crossbar. His fellow defender Jonas Häkkinen was first to react to the loose ball but scuffed his shot from six yards.
That opportunity signalled a catalyst, for Galway nearly pounced from a corner of their own two minutes later.
Everton-bound David Harrington, so reliable throughout the campaign, uncharacteristically fumbled the ball under pressure but could depend on Gilchrist and then Coffey to block resultant efforts from Mikey Rowe and Conor O’Keefe.
Ruairi Keating, sent off against his former club in May, couldn’t generate enough purchase on his header to test Kearns four minutes before the break while Cian Murphy’s rampage towards the box was cynically halted by Manning’s lunch, for which he was fortunate to escape with a booking.
If the end of the first half started to smolder, the second began with fireworks – on and off the pitch.
Kearns – who was at fault for Cobh’s goal in last week’s draw on Leeside – went for the risky option by attempting his wing-back with a pass on 50 minutes but prowling to intercept was Cian Bargary.
Off he raced on one of his trademark dashes before squaring to Barry Coffey 20 yards out.
He possessed the poise and composure to switch the ball from one foot to another, unleashing a shot with his left that clipped Portilla, taking it away from the dive of Kearns and hitting the net off the post.
The interruption that ensued didn’t break Cork’s rhythm for Healy might have added a second, seeing his rasping drive from 25 yards beat Kearns but graze the crossbar.
Coffey and Keating were both marginally off-target too as City looked in command, yet Cork fans know well not to underestimate a side managed by Caulfield.
Waweru, introduced with 25 minutes left, took just seven to equalise, turning in a right-wing cross from Max Hemmings before Cork native Lyons replicated the feat from the opposite side.
All City conjured thereafter, including eight minutes of stoppage time, was a wild effort by sub Dylan McGlade that almost reached the far touchline. Not City’s night but they’ve enough lives left to complete the job.
C Kearns; J Finnerty, D Portilla (B Hery 65), C Lyons; M Hemmings, M Rowe, D Hurley, C O’Keefe, E McCarthy; S Walsh, R Manning (W Waweru 65).
D Harrington; J Häkkinen, A Gilchrist, C Coleman; D Crowley, M Healy, B Coffey, A Bolger, C Bargary (D McGlade 88); C Murphy (L Britton 87), R Keating.
Oliver Moran (Dublin).
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