Ger Nash hails spirit as Cork City dig deep in Galway United win

Since arriving at Cork City nearly three months ago, Ger Nash’s tenure has been a relentless challenge, both on and off the pitch, as the club continues to grapple with a deeply frustrating season.

Defeat to Sligo Rovers added another chapter to an already troubled campaign, and the setbacks didn’t stop there. The loss of Malik Dijksteel and Milan Mbeng, along with Cathal O’Sullivan’s ACL injury, only deepened City’s despair.

But last weekend’s win over Galway United offered a much-needed reprieve, and Cork City earned every bit of it.

“I’m really proud of the players, really proud of the staff,” Nash said post-match. “Everyone can see how hard they worked, and they've been working really hard for me behind the scenes. I've said this before, there's a core group of players that are really passionate to play for this club. You saw it tonight.

“Reflecting on the game, did we play the best football we've played? Absolutely not. But the spirit the team showed, togetherness, the fight to defend our goal. I’m really pleased.” 

Nash admitted that the Sligo defeat led to some hard conversations within the group.

“We've had a lot of conversations together this week as a team,” he admitted. “We did last Saturday when we reflected on the [defeat to Sligo Rovers]. I think you have to take every game on its merits as well.

“I think even at 2-0 last week's, Sligo were a dangerous side, they're a good side. They've got confidence. That's incredibly important in football. The two games aren't the same.

“Tonight's game was probably really different in a lot of ways, what I think the players did tonight in terms of their diligence and how they carried out a lot of the information, was brilliant,” Nash explained. “The maturity from someone of them was huge and I think it goes back to a fight to play for this football club.

“I know how hurt the dressing room was last week, and I know how hard they work and I know what they want to do for this football club.

“The people in that dressing room, they’re desperate for this club to be successful and that unity is the most important thing in my opinion in a football club.” 

The defeat last week was a hammer blow. City needed to win that game to close the gap to Sligo Rovers and maintain their hopes of avoiding relegation.

TURNING POINT

There has been enormous pressure on the group this season, and more often than not, things haven’t gone their way. But the character they showed against Galway – particularly in how they closed the game out – could and must be a turning point.

“For the young players, especially, I think it's huge. A lot of players in that dressing and stuff is their first year in the Premier Division. They've had a change of manager within that.

“Conor Brann has only played four games. So for him to deal with some of the things that came his way tonight [is brilliant],” he added. “Freddie Anderson, again, 18 years of age, coming into that environment and Fiacre going off [injured] and dealing with that.

“I can go through them all; Matty Kiernan, [Josh] Fitzy's wonderful goal. So [for] the young players to go through that, that's a real tough test at any level. and I'll tell you, That’ll do them the world of good.

“And the senior players again to manage them through with Seani [Maguire], Evan McLaughlin, he’s not a senior player, but his performance [was of that level].

Darragh Crowley, you won’t meet a Cork man who’s more passionate about the football club. 

Fitzpatrick’s goal was a piece of individual brilliance, and capped off an outstanding performance from the young winger.

“He's been working on that, and I’m really pleased him,” Nash said. “We know he's got a left foot, he can go on the outside and put some really good crosses in.

“It was a goal of worthy of winning a game and thankfully it did.”