Cork City pegged back by Galway on Premier Division return at Turner's Cross

Cork City 2 Galway United 2 

Cork City twice surrendered a lead as they marked their return to the Premier Division in front of 5,031 spectators with a draw against Galway United at Turners Cross on Friday night. 

City were dominant in the first half and took the lead through Malik Dijsteel only to concede on the stroke of half-time to Patrick Hickey’s headed effort. However, Greg Bolger's goal had City back in front before Vincent Borden scored the equaliser nine minutes from time.

City’s starting 11 included four off-season signings with Tein Troost, Bernardo Peixoto Couto, Rio Shipston and Freddie Anderson given their full debuts.

It was an explosive start from City who could have been ahead with just 11 seconds on the clock when Dijksteel found himself through on goal, but agonisingly for the winger, his effort came off the post.

Seani Maguire was testing the Galway goal just seconds later but the visitor’s keeper Brendan Clarke did very well to hold onto the City’s player’s low-driven strike.

City looked dangerous with each attack and were exploiting the space left in the channels due to Galway playing a back-three. Maguire again threatened but this time his effort was off target.

The tempo of City’s play in the early stages was very impressive with Galway struggling to live with their hosts. Ruairi Keating was next to find himself with an opportunity on goal but blazed over the crossbar.

Keating and Maguire were working really well as front two with both alternating between who was the one to run in behind and the player to drop short.

It was City’s front-two that carved out the home’s side next opportunity when Maguire beat the onrushing Clarke to a through ball before crossing to Keating, who couldn’t get enough on his header to find the net, with Galway defender Killian Brouder doing very well to prevent the City striker from scoring.

City deservedly went ahead in the 34th minute when Dijksteel produced some excellent footwork to evade the challenge of Robert Slevin on the edge of the box before shooting low into the net, although Clarke will be very disappointed not to have kept Dijksteel’s effort out.

The set-piece delivery from Shipstown and Couto was of high quality on the night and it was a corner from the former that created City’s next opportunity with Charlie Lyons heading over.

City were dealt a sucker-punch on the stroke of half-time when a cross from Jeannot Esua found Hickey who rose high to head in off the inside of the post, leaving Troost with no chance of stopping it.

City were back in front five minutes into the second half through Bolger after the ball had rolled out to the experienced midfielder on the edge of the area before the City player beautifully struck the ball into the far bottom corner of the net. It was a wonderful strike from Bolger, which was made even more impressive considering it was with his weaker left foot.

Bolger was duty at the other end of the pitch moments later when he was in the right place to block New Zealand international Moses Dyer’s goal-bound effort. A heavily heated tussle followed between both sets of players, as the ball was out of play, with Alex Nolan and Greg Cunningham both receiving yellow cards as the outcome.

Jimmy Keohane almost got on the scoresheet but Troost produced a smart save to prevent the former City player from scoring.

Galway were level for the second time in the game when Border’s half-volley from just inside the City penalty area found the far corner leaving Troost motionless in the City goal.

CORK CITY: Troost; Crowley, Anderson, Lyons, Couto; O’Sullivan (Nolan 55), Bolger, Shipstown( Murray 69), Dijksteel (Nelson 78); Keating, Maguire.

GALWAY UNITED: Clarke; Slevin, Brouder, Cunningham; Esua, Keohane, Hurley (Borden 70), Burns (Donelon 83), Hickey; Walsh, Dyer ( Wilson 83).

Referee: A O’Dowd.