Dolan’s late strike rescues disjointed Galway League

Galway League 1

Clare League 1

Mike Rafferty

THE half time bowl of soup was the best thing on offer at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night as it took a late equaliser in order for the Galway League to gain a share of the spoils in the seasonal opener for the Oscar Traynor Trophy.

It was an occasion when the visitors offered the greater threat in attack and while defences at both ends dominated, Galway were more than grateful to custodian James Keane, who made a number of smart saves to keep his side in the contest at various stages.

Manager Gareth Gorman chose an experienced selection with six clubs represented, but despite the majority being impressive performers at local level, it turned out to be a less that memorable encounter for many. Sure, playing conditions were difficult as almost continuous rain fell for the durataion of the tie, but after a reasonable start the Galway performance appeared to slide and the visitors were worthy of their interval advantage.

That breakthrough goal arrived on 24 minutes when Daryl Eade and Colin Smyth combined to set up David McCarthy to make it 1-0 with a low finish past Keane.

Previous to that, Gerry Dolan had an effort saved by John Mulready, while the inrushing Martin Coady just failed to get on the end of a Colm O’Donovan right wing cross, before at the opposite end McCarthy was denied by a Keane save. The Clare side continued to threaten and Corry set up Joe Collins for a shot that was again covered by Keane, before Stephen Kelly fired just over for the visitors.

Now Galway did offer a scoring threat on a few occasions as Coady and Simon Walsh directed efforts off target before the break, but as the game continued it appeared that the home side were really struggling to get back into the contest. In contrast, Keane was kept busy with saves to thwart Smyth, Eoin Whelan and Hayes.

A trio of second half substitutions did help pick up the home side and they eventually got a break on 86 minutes when a smashing O’Donovan pass released Dolan and while the young Corrib Rangers striker still had a lot of work to do, he displayed great composure to round Mulready before slotting home to tie up the contest at 1-1. As matters turned out, it was an acceptable point on an occasion when the outcome could have turned out a lot worse.

Galway: Keane, T Walsh, Rodden (McHugh 65min), Woods, Elwood, Gavin, Coady (Ward 70min), S Walsh, Dolan, O’Donovan, Gaffney (Lee 57min).

Clare: Mulready, Mullen, Whelan, Purcell, Murray, Corry Collins, Kelly (Fitzgerald 82min), Smyth, McCarthy (Hayes 90min), Eade.

Referee: Niall Crossby (Galway).

In the other group game played in Castlebar on Sunday, the Mayo League required an injury time equaliser from Brendan Lavelle in order to grab a share of the spoils, after Ethan Keogh had given the Roscommon League an opening half lead in another 1-1 draw. The next series of games in mid November will see Roscommon host Galway, while Mayo will travel to face Clare.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.