Cork City hit Galway for five to reduce gap at the top

Cork City 5 Galway United 3

It mightn't have had as much defensive meanness as manager John Caulfield would have wanted, but Cork City's display at Turner's Cross was enough to move to within four points of Premier Division leaders Dundalk.

The tone was set inside 10 seconds, as Seán Maguire nearly latched onto a loose Armin Aganovic backpass, but City had the lead in the sixth minute as Galway goalkeeper Conor Winn flapped at Kevin O'Connor's corner and right-back Dave Mulcahy was on hand to finish. City were creating chances at will, with Seán Maguire unlucky to have an effort from a tight angle go across goal, but on 22 he doubled the lead, perfectly meeting O'Connor's cross with a near-post volley.

Garry Buckley might have made it three but Colm Horgan denied him, and ten minutes before half-time a note of caution was sounded as the visitors' defender Killian Cantwell headed home unmarked from Ryan Connolly's free kick.

The two-goal cushion was restored almost immediately as Karl Sheppard did well on the right and crossed for Garry Buckley to nod in. Just before half-time, it was 4-1 as incredibly Mulcahy scored again from Maguire's low ball across.

Galway switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 for the second half but still City created chances, Maguire again going close. Just after the hour, Galway pulled one back as Connolly set up interval sub Kevin Devaney for a low shot to the net but again City responded, Greg Bolger rolling a free kick to O'Connor, whose long-range shot was deflected in.

That secured the win, but there was time for Devaney to get his second and Galway’s third late on.

Cork City: McNulty; Mulcahy, Bennett, Browne, O'Connor (Kavanagh 88); G Morrissey, Bolger (Healy 71); Sheppard, Buckley (Holohan 71), Dooley; Maguire.

Galway United: Winn; Cantwell (Shanahan half-time), Aganovic, Folan; Horgan, Byrne, Melody (Devaney half-time), Sinnott (Curran 71), Ludden; Connolly, Faherty.

Referee: J McKell (Tipperary).

Attendance: 1,685.