final score: 4-0 to city.
GOALS from Alan Bennett, Noel Hartigan (2) and Derek Coughlan have Cork cruising to victory at Turner’s Cross.
Bennett headed Cork in front on 31 minutes following good play by James Mulligan and Ollie Cahill down the left flank.
Hartigan doubled the Leesiders advantage nine minutes into the second-half.
Cahill whipped over a cross and Bennett met it with a well timed header and nodded past Mark Cobey in the Galway goal.
A run by Conor O’ Grady caught the Galway defence flatfooted and he released Hartigan, who switched the ball on his to his right foot before firing in a low shot that found its way past Cobey.
Coughlan made it 3-0 on 59 minutes. Cahill sent over a corner from the right which Cobey missed and Damien O’ Rourke saw his goalbound shot taken off the line by Nigel Keady but the ball bounced up for Coughlan who headed home.
Hartigan claimed his second of the afternoon after he was set up by Cahill and drilled in a shot from close range on 75 minutes to add to Galway’s misery.
Cork boss Liam Murphy made three switches to his team which went down to Shelbourne nine days ago.
He was forced to re-shuffle with midfielder Anthony Buckley banned so O’Grady returned.
And goalkeeper Noel Mooney dropped out to be replaced by Michael Devine while O’Rourke came in for Kelvin Flanagan.
Meanwhile, after their win over UCD, Galway had to do without Mark Herrick who was ruled out because of an odd agreement between the clubs after he signed this year from Cork. His place in the side went to Derek O’Brien.
Cahill went close to a goal for Cork after only 10 minutes. Galway skipper Billy Clery was robbed on the edge of the box and Cahill fired in a super left footed effort which forced a good save from Cobey.
Cobey came to his skipper’s rescue again on 17 minutes. Clery miscued and Mulliagn fired in a piledriver which Cobey saved.
Waterford referee Jim O’ Neill was a busy man in the opening exchanges booking Hartigan on seven minutes for charging Nigel Keady, Clery two minutes later for taking Hartigan from behind and O’ Rourke on 21 minutes for a foul on Daragh Sheridan.
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