Cork City's last lifeline takes them to John Caulfield's Galway United
Cork City goalkeeper Conor Brann reacts after his side concede their first of four goals during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division defeat to St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park in Dublin. Picture: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Eight points the gap. Five games to go. Fifteen points maximum to be gained. Lose tonight, and it’s not a matter of if, but when Cork City are relegated from this division. And that’s being charitable. Lightning strikes and Lotto wins feel more likely than a great escape after Monday night.
Because the 4-0 defeat to St Pat’s is still raw. Not just heavy, but crushing. It wiped out whatever momentum City thought they had built against Shamrock Rovers, flattening the mood, flattening the belief. All of that graft to bloody the nose of the league leaders counts for nothing now. The gap to Galway remains the same, the gap to Sligo has stretched to 11.
And tonight brings Eamonn Deacy Park.
They have yet to taste an away win in this league campaign still.
The last trip west finished 2-1 to Galway. Djenairo Daniels equalised from the spot after Moses Dyer’s opener, but Conor McCormack snatched it back for United. City left with only a solitary shot on target to show for their night’s work.
At Turner’s Cross, there was at least some joy. Josh Fitzpatrick’s thunderous strike from distance was enough to settle their third league win of the season, the kind of goal that jolted City supporters from their seats. They dug in for 85 minutes to protect it, and for once, a clean sheet carried them over the line. Their other Leeside meeting ended all square.
Fitzpatrick has been one of the few bright sparks, his dynamism sorely missed in recent weeks. He made his return against Pats, on a night when very little else went right, but his presence will matter in Galway.
Because this evening is not just about Cork City’s peril. John Caulfield’s Galway United are under the hammer too. Their 1-0 loss to Sligo, played without midfield anchor David Hurley, means they have not won a league match since June. Prior to that defeat they had drawn 1-1 with Pat’s despite going down to 10 men, a show of resilience that City were unable to capitalise on when they matched Rovers at the Cross.
For United, losing to Sligo felt just as damaging as City’s collapse against Pats. They now trail Waterford and Sligo by three points. Fail tonight, and their season points towards the relegation playoff.
The form book offers little consolation either way. City’s road record is dreadful; Galway’s home return is hardly much better. Caulfield’s men have lost three of their last four at Éamonn Deacy Park.
Both sides have endured campaigns of frustration and missed chances. City’s worse, certainly, though Nash’s team at least carry slightly better recent form. Still, the blunt statistic of no away victories lingers like a curse.
City will once again do without Ruairí Keating and Cathal O’Sullivan. Ruairí Keating and Cathal O’Sullivan remain out. Nash has generally resisted sweeping changes, even after their 3-0 away defeat to Bohs. But half-time reshuffles against Pat’s and the starting inclusion of Benny Couto suggest tweaks are inevitable.
The margins are cruelly fine, and time is short. Even if City dig out the win they so desperately need, the arithmetic may already be against them.
It’s win tonight, win against Shelbourne, and against Drogheda, Sligo, Derry.
And even that may not suffice.
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