SEAN MAGUIRE HIT the net twice as Cork City devoured Galway United to keep the pressure on Dundalk in the Airtricity Premier Division title race.
John Caulfield’s men notched five goals at Eamonn Deacy Park to claim three points and set up a mouth-watering clash with league leaders Dundalk in Oriel Park on Tuesday night.
With Dundalk falling to a shock 3-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers, Cork City now only trail the two-time champions by just a single point in second place, while they also overturned a six-goal deficit in the goal difference stakes in one fell swoop.
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Maguire got the ball rolling after just two minutes as he headed in his 15th league goal of the season. A long ball from defence was flicked on to Karl Sheppard and he delivered a brilliant cross from the right-hand side to Maguire, who provided the finish.
Stephen Dooley doubled the visitors’ lead in the 15th minute from another Sheppard cross. The former Derry City winger finished past home goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom to give Galway United a mountain to climb.
Three minutes later Garry Buckley got in on the act to give Cork City a 3-0 lead. Once again, the excellent Sheppard provided the assist with a brilliant cross from the right-hand side to Buckley who nodded the ball home at the far post.
Three up at the interval, the second half was a question of how many the Rebels would score. And Maguire showed his killer instinct less than three minutes into the second half as he grabbed Cork’s fourth goal of the night.
The Ireland U21 international striker raced into the box under no pressure to find the bottom corner, which moved him to the top of the goal scoring charts.
And deep into added-time, substitute Chiedozie Ogbene blasted home following another Sheppard assist to round off a perfect night for Cork City — the second time inside two weeks that they have put five past the Tribesmen.
Galway United: Sam Ramsbottom; Colm Horgan, Armin Aganovic, Stephen Folan (Killian Cantwell, 58), Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnott (Alex Byrne, 58), Ryan Connolly, Kevin Devaney; Vinny Faherty, Enda Curran (Conor Melody, 72).
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne (Michael McSweeney, 62), Kevin O’Connor; Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley, Greg Bolger (Colin Healy, 62), Gavan Holohan, Stephen Dooley (Chiedozie Ogbene, 75); Sean Maguire.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
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5-star Cork secure easy win in Galway to pile pressure on Dundalk
Galway United 0
Cork City 5
SEAN MAGUIRE HIT the net twice as Cork City devoured Galway United to keep the pressure on Dundalk in the Airtricity Premier Division title race.
John Caulfield’s men notched five goals at Eamonn Deacy Park to claim three points and set up a mouth-watering clash with league leaders Dundalk in Oriel Park on Tuesday night.
With Dundalk falling to a shock 3-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers, Cork City now only trail the two-time champions by just a single point in second place, while they also overturned a six-goal deficit in the goal difference stakes in one fell swoop.
Maguire got the ball rolling after just two minutes as he headed in his 15th league goal of the season. A long ball from defence was flicked on to Karl Sheppard and he delivered a brilliant cross from the right-hand side to Maguire, who provided the finish.
Stephen Dooley doubled the visitors’ lead in the 15th minute from another Sheppard cross. The former Derry City winger finished past home goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom to give Galway United a mountain to climb.
Three minutes later Garry Buckley got in on the act to give Cork City a 3-0 lead. Once again, the excellent Sheppard provided the assist with a brilliant cross from the right-hand side to Buckley who nodded the ball home at the far post.
Three up at the interval, the second half was a question of how many the Rebels would score. And Maguire showed his killer instinct less than three minutes into the second half as he grabbed Cork’s fourth goal of the night.
The Ireland U21 international striker raced into the box under no pressure to find the bottom corner, which moved him to the top of the goal scoring charts.
And deep into added-time, substitute Chiedozie Ogbene blasted home following another Sheppard assist to round off a perfect night for Cork City — the second time inside two weeks that they have put five past the Tribesmen.
Galway United: Sam Ramsbottom; Colm Horgan, Armin Aganovic, Stephen Folan (Killian Cantwell, 58), Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnott (Alex Byrne, 58), Ryan Connolly, Kevin Devaney; Vinny Faherty, Enda Curran (Conor Melody, 72).
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne (Michael McSweeney, 62), Kevin O’Connor; Karl Sheppard, Garry Buckley, Greg Bolger (Colin Healy, 62), Gavan Holohan, Stephen Dooley (Chiedozie Ogbene, 75); Sean Maguire.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
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Convincing Eamonn Deacy Park John Caulfield pile pressure Cork City Dundalk Galway