Cork City 0 Galway Utd 0:Cork City will desperately hope that Fifa finally sanction the signings of Gareth Farrelly and Colin Healy next week after last night's featureless draw with newcomers Galway United at Turner's Cross.

Chances were rare in a dull first half, although Galway could have gone ahead through Alan Murphy after 90 seconds when Cork City captain Dan Murray needed to be alert to clear the ball off the goal-line after goalkeeper Michel Devine had done well to take the venom out of the shot.

The home side struggled for the most part to create attacking opportunities, a Roy O'Donovan header, which flashed just wide from Darragh Ryan's cross, the closest they got to breaking the deadlock before the half-time interval.

O'Donovan did have a penalty appeal turned down on the stroke of half-time when he looked to be taken out by the Galway goalkeeper Alan Gough, but referee Richie Winter waved appeals away.

The hosts did apply some pressure late on in the second half, but all they really had to show for their efforts was a shot from debutant Darren Murphy that sailed just wide of the mark.

Indeed, even though Galway spent most of the second half on the back foot, they did have the one clearcut shot on target when Stephen O'Flynn could only shoot straight at Devine when played in on 55 minutes.

CORK CITY: Devine, Horgan, Ryan, Murray, O'Brien (Murphy 74) , Gamble, O'Flynn (Behan 74), O'Donovan, Woods, Kelly, Kearney (Lordan 78).

GALWAY UNITED: Gough, James, Tracy, Charles, Nooitmeer, Lester, Cooke, Foley, Armstrong (O'Flynn 56), Murphy, O'Brien.

Referee: R Winter(Dublin)