Josh Fitzpatrick's stunner sees Cork City end long winless run

Irish Examiner

2 days ago

CORK CITY 1 (Josh Fitzpatrick '5)
GALWAY UNITED 0
A first league of the Ger Nash era – earned by Josh Fitzpatrick's first goal of the season - presents a sliver of hope for Cork City in their relegation battle.
Facing a Galway side suffering their fourth defeat on the spin must be factored into confidence levels, particularly as Sligo Rovers can re-establish the 11-point buffer if they beat Shelbourne on Saturday.
At least, however, it ends a 15-match wait since April 21 for a City league win. All three this season have been home.
It also lifted the mood around the venue that wasn't subject to protests that had been floated in midweek. A crowd of 2,092 is disappointing and might have been bloated by stay-away season ticket-holders.
Cathal O'Sullivan's devastating ACL injury forced Nash into at least one change and that was the extent of it, as Alex Nolan came onto the wing.
He'd gone within inches of snatching victory against Sligo with a shot that crashed off the underside of the crossbar at 2-2.
That woe was compounded by Sligo counterattacking to grab the winner, 60 seconds resulting in a potential five point gap expanding to 11.
Sligo are looking upwards at Galway rather than behind them but City's sole direction was ending their miserable winless sequence.
All it required was upgrading last week's powerful first hour into a 90-minute performance, an art they'd failed to sniff, never mind perfect, in almost five months of the season.
Clearly, the form of demonstration being mooted in midweek manifested in a boycott of some sections and anyone proposing to make their feelings known by entering the stadium late would have missed an early opener.
In their parlous state, City don't mind how goals are sourced but more pleasing was the it stemming from a flowing move.
Two experienced campaigners, Seáni Maguire and Evan McLaughlin, were involved in the build-up towards a younger pair.
Matty Kiernan resumed his place in the team after completing his Leaving Cert and deserved an A-Plus for breaking from left-back to support to attack.
His layoff to Fitzpatrick was neat but more effective was his run to take Galway full-back Jeannot Esua with him. That created a gap for Fitzpatrick to furrow into from the left and unleash a 25-yarder which arrowed beyond Brendan Clarke into the far corner.
City were on top and Fiacre Kelleher appealed for a penalty on 10 minutes when he was shoved in the box attempting to connect with a free-kick.
Concerns accompanied him getting back on his feet clutching his stomach and the captain lasted only another 18 minutes before making way for Freddie Anderson.
Galway had four ex-City players, as well as Corkman David Hurley in their team, and one of those on a Turner's Cross homecoming, Jimmy Keohane, spurned their first chance on 17 minutes by firing over from a rehearsed short-corner.
David Odumosu's injury meant a second game on the spin in goal for Conor Brann and he denied Esua's header five minutes later.
Galway are unapologetic about their penchant for set-piece artillery and it almost worked five minutes before the break. Keohane's lofted free-kick was connected with by Horgan but Brann again repelled the glanced header.
Patrick Hickey's interval introduction offered a new dimension for the visitors and he caused havoc with his physical threat.
He'd strayed marginally offside when finishing on the hour and was fractionally inaccurate with a shot 10 minutes later that whistled past the far post.
Seven minutes of stoppage-time, including a goalmouth scramble beyond it, caused anxiety but it soon gave way to relief.
CORK CITY: C Brann; H Nevin, F Kelleher (F Anderson 28), R Feely, M Kiernan; D Crowley, E McLaughlin; A Nolan (C Lutz 62), K Nelson (K Kamara 62), J Fitzpatrick (B Couto 90+2); S Maguire.
GALWAY UNITED: B Clarke; J Esua, G Buckley, R Slevin, B Burns (A Piesold 86); C Horgan (P Hickey 46); J Keohane (V Border 73), D Hurley, E McCarthy (A Bolger 57); S Walsh, D McGuinness (K Brouder 72).
Referee: Aaron O'Dowd (Dublin).
Attendance: 2,092.