Cork City VS Galway United Match Prediction
2017-07-28
18:45:00
Cork City
VS
Galway United
Our Prediction Tip
Cork City will win this match.
2017-07-2818:45:00 Cork City will win this match.
Cork City are unbeaten in their last 12 games against Galway United and have lost just one of their previous 18 League of Ireland Premier Division meetings. While they drew 1-1 last time out - the only game Cork have dropped points in this season - the hosts won 4-0 the last time they met at Cork. Here are the results of their last five matches:
May 12, 2017: Galway United 1-1 Cork City
Mar 03, 2017: Cork City 4-0 Galway United
Oct 08, 2016: Galway United 0-5 Cork City
Sep 27, 2016: Cork City 5-3 Galway United
Apr 15, 2016: Galway United 2-2 Cork City
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Galway may well be the only team to have taken points of the unbeaten league leaders this season, but at home Cork City will be confident of a big win.
Galway United's recent form has been impressive, while Cork are having to come to terms with the loss of top scorer Sean Maguire and star man Kevin O'Connor, but the hosts still have plenty of quality in their squad.
Cork City have, in short, been unstoppable in the league this season and even without Maguire they have Karl Sheppard to lead the line and bid to add to his nine goals so far this season.
New signing Kieran Sadlier will also be key, though they will need to be aware of Galway's in-form attacking players.
Winger Gavin Holohan smashed in a hat-trick last week, while Padraic Cunningham and Ronan Murray have been in the goals of late too.
Nevertheless, Cork City are justifiably huge favourites for Friday's game, and their march to the title should continue unchecked.
Cork City are unsurprisingly huge favourites to win on Friday, with the best odds available from William Hill who are offering 2/7 on a home win.
Cork have only conceded ten times this season, but Galway have been in good goalscoring form of late and you can improve those odds to 7/4 if you back Cork to win and both teams to score with Bet365.
Both teams to score, on its own, has been set at evens by Bet365, while you can get 6/5 from William Hill on their being more than three goals in the match.
Galway's recent form suggests this will be closer than the 4-0 defeat they suffered at Cork earlier in the season, but the hosts remain big favourites.
Top scorer Sean Maguire and left-back Kevin O'Connor have both left Cork to sign for Preston North End, with the league leaders now having to find a way to replace two of their star players. Shane Griffin is likely to play at left-back, while new signing Kieran Sadlier could play in the attacking trio.
With Sean Maguire gone, Karl Sheppard will now lead the line, bidding to add to the nine goals he has scored in 24 games so far this season.
Though unbeaten in the league, Cork City lost 1-0 at home and away to AEK Larnaca as their Europa League run ended in the second qualifying round. Their last league game saw them win 2-0 at Bray Wanderers, whole their last home game in the league ended in a 1-0 defeat of St Patrick's Athletic.
Goalkeeper:McNulty
Defenders:McCormack, Bennett, Delaney, Griffin
Midfielders:Dooley, Keohane, Buckley
Forwards:Beattie, Sheppard, Sadlier
Galway United were unchanged for last week's win against Drogheda, and may well stick with the same XI again despite the very different challenge Cork City will pose.
Gavin Holohan smashed in a hat-trick as Galway thrashed Drogheda last time out. Padraic Cunningham has been in the goals of late too, while Ronan Murray has seven for the season.
After ending a seven-game winless streak with a 3-1 win against Limerick, Galway followed that up with a 4-1 thrashing of Drogheda United last time out. That takes their tally to seven points from their last three games, and has seen them climb to tenth in the league table.
Goalkeeper:Winn
Defenders:Horgan, Grace, Folan, Ludden
Midfielders:Holohan, Byrne, Cawley
Forwards:Devaney, Cunningham, Murray
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