City all but done after Deacy Park disaster

📷 KBD Photos

After an implosion in Richmond Park against St Pats on Monday night, City were in dire need of a win in a relegation six pointer against Galway in Eamonn Deacy Park. It all went wrong for Ger Nash’s side though, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat which all but confirms their relegation from the Premier Division, with City now being eleven points adrift with four games to go.

Ger Nash made three changes to the side that started in Inchicore, with Benny Couto, Sean Murray and Kitt Nelson all making way, with Fiacre Kelleher, Matty Kiernan and Josh Fitzpatrick coming in.

John Caulfield named two changes to his team that lost in the Connacht Derby. Brendan Clarke and Ed McCarthy came out of the side being replaced by Evan Watts and Stephen Walsh.

The hosts got off to a fast start and went close after sixteen minutes. A loose backpass from Kaedyn Kamara set Jimmy Keohane through down the left hand side. The former City midfielder sent an effort towards goal, but Conor Brann was able to bat it away.

City weren't able to keep Galway out for too much longer, as the Tribesmen took the lead two minutes later. Patrick Hickey beat Conor Brann to get on the end of a free kick. The American flicked it on for Stephen Walsh to tap in at the back post and give his side the lead.

The visitors were struggling to get a foothold in the game, but notched their first proper chance after half an hour. Josh Fitzpatrick got the ball down the right wing before playing it inside to Evan McLaughlin. Evan angled a shot from the edge of the box, with his effort whistling just wide of the near post.

Despite a poor first half, City were able to get back level two minutes before half time. Conor Brann kickstarted a City counter attack, throwing the ball down the left wing out in front of Alex Nolan. He kept running before coming infield, and releasing a curling effort from twenty five yards out that went flying into the top right corner.

The leveller didn't last too long though, as Galway retook the lead in added time of the first half. Dara McGuiness latched onto a long ball down the line. He got to the byline and dinked a ball to the front post, where Stephen Walsh was able to glance a header into the far corner to give Galway the lead going into half time.

Galway continued to control the game in the second half, and Stephen Walsh almost grabbed his third of the night in the fifty fourth minute. Killian Brouder lifted a cross towards the back post, where Walsh got the better of his man and powered a header narrowly wide.

City did have some chances to get back level, with one of the biggest being in the sixty ninth minute. A clearance rattled off of Alex Nolan and looped over the Galway defense. Seani Maguire picked it up before dancing through three defenders, but his shot went flying just over the bar.

The visitors kept chasing despite the poor showing, and they had the ball in the net with four minutes to play. Evan McLaughlin fired the ball across the six yard box where Seani Maguire was on hand to prod the ball into the back of the net, but the flag was up for offside.

That was all she wrote and it was the Tribesmen who came away victorious which will prove a huge result for both teams. City really struggled to get into the game in the early stages, with Gakway taking full advantage of it and taking the lead. City did have a good ten minute spell after about half an hour where, led by Alex Nolan, City got themselves back into the game and bagged an equaliser. However, the concession on the stroke of half time deflated the team and with Galway sitting deep and defending, City were left with little hope of getting back into the game. This crushing result leaves Cork City basically relegated, as even one draw will see us be relegated for the third time in five years. I won't get into why I think this relegation has come about until it actually happens, but this is nothing more than we deserve.

My Man of the Match goes to Galway’s Stephen Walsh. He had a fairly easy job, with City’s poor defending giving the frontman plenty of chances to score. He was a headache for the visitors all night and ended up with two well taken goals. He may even be disappointed to not score a hat trick on the game that he equalled the Galway United all time appearance record.

City will now try to forget about the league situation, as they turn to prepare for the cup Semi Final against St Pats on Friday night. As for Galway, they'll have to wait a bit longer for their next game when they play Bohemians at home on the 17th of October.