A first league win of the Ger Nash era – earned by Josh Fitzpatrick’s first goal of the season – offers a glimmer of hope for Cork City in their relegation battle.
The fact that they faced a Galway side suffering their fourth consecutive defeat must be considered when assessing confidence levels, especially with Sligo Rovers able to reestablish an 11-point lead if they beat Shelbourne on Saturday.
At least, however, it ends a 15-match winless streak in the league since April 21. All three of their league wins this season have been at home.
It also improved the atmosphere around the stadium, after potential protests were discussed earlier in the week.
A crowd of 2,092 was still disappointing, potentially inflated by season ticket holders who stayed away.
Cathal O’Sullivan’s serious ACL injury forced Nash into at least one change, with Alex Nolan slotting in on the wing.
Nolan almost secured victory against Sligo in the previous match, hitting the underside of the crossbar in a 2-2 draw.
That disappointment was compounded as Sligo counterattacked to score the winning goal, stretching a potential five-point gap to 11 in just 60 seconds.
While Sligo are focused on chasing Galway, Cork City’s primary goal was ending their dismal winless run.
This required building on last week’s strong first-half showing and maintaining that level of performance for the full 90 minutes – something they’ve struggled to achieve in nearly five months.
The speculated demonstration in the form of a boycott appeared to influence some, and spectators who planned to enter the stadium late would have missed an early goal.
In their precarious situation, City aren’t concerned about where goals come from, but the flowing nature of this one was particularly pleasing.
Two experienced players, Seáni Maguire and Evan McLaughlin, contributed to the build-up, linking up with a younger pairing.
Matty Kiernan returned to the team after finishing his Leaving Cert and deserved praise for his attacking support from left-back.
His pass to Fitzpatrick was well-weighted, but the run that dragged Galway full-back Jeannot Esua away was crucial.
This created space for Fitzpatrick to cut in from the left and fire a 25-yard shot past Brendan Clarke and into the far corner.
City were dominant, and Fiacre Kelleher appealed for a penalty in the 10th minute after being pushed in the box while attempting to connect with a free-kick.
Concerns emerged when he struggled to get back to his feet, clutching his stomach, and the captain was replaced by Freddie Anderson after just 18 more minutes.
Galway’s team featured four former City players, including Cork native David Hurley. Jimmy Keohane, making a return to Turner’s Cross, wasted their first chance in the 17th minute, firing over the bar from a planned short corner.
David Odumosu’s injury gave Conor Brann a second consecutive start in goal, and he denied Esua with a header five minutes later.
Galway are known for their reliance on set-pieces, and this almost paid off five minutes before half-time. Keohane’s free-kick was met by Horgan, but Brann again saved the header.
Patrick Hickey’s introduction at half-time added a new dimension for the visitors, causing problems with his physicality.
He strayed marginally offside when finishing in the hour, and narrowly missed the target with a shot that zipped past the far post 10 minutes later.
Seven minutes of stoppage time, including a goalmouth scramble, caused tension but ultimately brought relief.
This victory followed a difficult week. Football took a backseat during Nash’s pre-match press conference, where he spent much of the time retracting previous comments about the Sligo defeat.
Initially, he claimed that Malik Dijksteel would have been involved if available, but the situation proved more complex. It transpired that the Dutchman, who didn’t fit the profile of player Nash had previously criticised, could have played.
Dijksteel waited for his transfer to St Mirren to be finalised before refuting these claims, asserting his desire to have played his final game last Friday.
Overall, it was an unfortunate incident that the manager could have easily avoided.
By making a point of praising players for ‘not thinking about their next move’ before the game, explaining Dijksteel’s absence at his request might have sparked discussion, but not on the same scale as the credibility issue it generated.
Another misstep by the inexperienced manager was highlighting the 10 Irish players in his team. While he acknowledged his error, it demonstrated naivety to reference origin. His subsequent explanation also sounded unconvincing.
Nash initially gained favour with fans for his straightforward statements about the spirit he aimed to restore within the team – fielding a team the county would be proud of.
These were noble words from a man who stressed his intention to reside in Cork – a sensitive area under his predecessor – and his decision to start his reign early by entering the dressing room at half-time against St Patrick’s Athletic was welcomed.
It was only in the week of a 4-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers that the reality of management struck. A social media picture of senior players in a Cork City pub on the night Sligo Rovers sent them to the bottom of the table didn’t reflect well.
Nash soon had to address questions regarding the culture within the club. His language also changed, using the word “unacceptable” to describe both defensive errors and a red card for Charlie Lyons. Lyons, still club captain at the time, was soon replaced by newcomer Fiacre and hasn’t played since. His suspension ended before Friday night’s game, but Nash confirmed he was injured.
City have 10 games remaining to achieve a survival miracle, but whether this improvement has longevity remains to be seen, especially after the Easter Monday victory over Waterford was hailed as a resurrection.
One thing is certain: Nash will need to carefully choose his battles, as many are on the horizon.
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.
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).
Aaron O’Dowd (Dublin).
2,092.
