Galway United 2-2 Cork City

An exciting SSE Airtricity League Premier Division encounter at Eamonn Deacy Park between Galway United and Cork City eventually concluded with the spoils being shared in the west in a 2-2 draw.

Vinny Faherty’s fifth-minute goal guided Galway ahead, but Cork levelled on 18 minutes when Stephen Dooley scored.

Gary Shanahan’s 34th-minute strike gave Galway the lead again, however, a Kilian Cantwell own goal with 22 minutes to go ensured Cork fought back once more.

From then until the death both teams furiously searched for a winner, but a draw was a fair result at the end of a fine match.

Gritty Galway hit the front in the fifth minute when Faherty climbed highest in the area to head home an inviting Ryan Connolly cross.

With John Sullivan and Connolly dovetailing nicely in the centre of the park Galway continued to probe with youngster Conor Melody craving involvement wide on the left.

The visitors’ spurned a decent opportunity in the 14th minute when Alan Bennett headed a Dooley delivery wide.

City were back on terms in the 18th minute as Dooley manufactured sufficient space to drill a delightful equaliser.

But Galway responded to score again in the 34th minute when Gary Shanahan ruthlessly punished a Cork defensive lapse in concentration with a cute finish from an acute angle.

Sullivan and Connolly remained influential until the interval ensuring a rapidly improving Galway departed at the break armed with a slender advantage.

John Caulfield made a couple of substitutions and tactical alterations, but Galway continued to defend in resolute fashion after the restart.

In the 67th minute an Eoghan O’Connell attempt was deflected over for a corner which ultimately resulted in Cork’s second goal.

Dooley’s corner caused panic in the Galway six-yard box with defender Kilian Cantwell, under pressure from O’Connell, putting the ball into his own net.

It was a thrilling tussle with Cork substitutes Mark O’Sullivan and Danny Morrissey going close before Galway replacement Padraic Cunningham struck the woodwork.

Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Kilian Cantwell, Stephen Folan, Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan, John Sullivan, Ryan Connolly, Conor Melody; Ruairi Keating (Padraic Cunningham, 68), Vinny Faherty.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Eoghan O'Connell, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Johnny Dunleavy (Danny Morrissey, 52); Greg Bolger, Garry Buckley; Ian Turner (Gearoid Morrissey, 46), Steven Beattie (Mark O'Sullivan, 75), Stephen Dooley; Karl Sheppard.

Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin).