By Kevin Galvin
Cork City had four different goalscorers as they inflicted Galway United’s second defeat in as many league games with a 4-0 win to continue with maximum points.
Seán Maguire’s goal 14 minutes in set the tone, before Ryan Delaney put the Leesiders in the driving seat. Stephen Dooley’s classy third followed by Conor Ellis’ late strike ensured a comfortable victory for the hosts.
Maguire came into the game in good form; his goal just before half-time the week previous securing City's first win of the league campaign at a boggy Finn Harps.
The Leesiders named just one change from that side with captain Johnny Dunleavy not featuring, the returning Alan Bennett taking his place.
Ten minutes in and Maguire had the game's first chance, testing United netminder Ciarán Nugent with a skidding shot which the goalkeeper did well to palm past the right post.
Kilkenny native Maguire hasn't needed much of an invitation to score since arriving on Leeside last season, and after a long ball was clumsily controlled by Nugent on the quarter-hour mark, an incoming Maguire stuck out a toe to poke the ball clear, before finishing into an empty net.
Not satisfied, the hosts pushed on for a second before the half, and Beattie had his effort blocked by Folan after a strong run, before Maguire’s glancing header was spilled by Nugent before Colm Horgan cleared.
United rallied before the break though, and had a few half-chances, and managed to tighten up the back to keep it a score deficit at the break.
Despite a Turner's Cross surface holding up well despite only being cleared fit for purpose at 4pm, both sides were struggling to create any offensive efforts.
It took 20 minutes for a clear chance to emerge, and it provided the winner. Sheppard’s flat inswinging corner perfectly glanced into the far corner of the net by Ryan Delaney for his first goal in City colours, a scrambling Nugent left helpless.
A relentless Rebel Army pushed on, and Kevin O’Connor’s drive from a tight angle was smothered by Nugent before the hosts scored the goal of the night.
A bouncing ball was flicked over Stephen Folan’s head by Jimmy Keohane, and, running onto the loose ball, Stephen Dooley delicately lifted it over a backtracking Nugent and under the crossbar to the admiration of the majority 3,335 in attendence despite the damp conditions.
The comfortable lead allowed City boss John Caulfield to ring in the changes, and a perfect night was rounded off as youngster Conor Ellis powered through the United before sublimely rolling his first ever league goal for the Rebel Army across Nugent and inside the far post.
Cork City: M McNulty; C McCormack, A Bennett, R Delaney, K O’Connor; G Morrissey (C Ellis 81), G Bolger; S Beattie (A Campion 78), J Keohane, S Dooley; S Maguire (K Sheppard 61).
Galway Utd: C Nugent; C Horgan, S Folan, L Grace, M Ludden; G Holohan (J Devers 84), D Cawley; K Devaney, R Murray, C Melody (V Faherty 72); P Cunningham (A Byrne 72).
Referee: P McLaughlin (Donegal).
