Faherty grabs a hat-trick as Galway FC defeat Cobh

Having come so close to grabbing a hat-trick against Shamrock Rovers B two weeks ago, Galway FC striker Vinny Faherty was delighted to have completed the job on Friday night.

He scored three times in the opening 19 minutes to set Tommy Dunne’s side on their way to a third league win of the season over Cobh Ramblers, running out 4-1 winners against the league’s basement side.

People were still making their way through the turnstiles when Faherty opened his account after just 25 seconds, and he completed his treble with goals in the 17th and 19th minutes – the first hat-trick by a Galway United/FC player since Barry Moran scored three in a 5-1 win for Galway United away to Kilkenny City in November 2006.

“Ah yeah, it was nice, it’s nice to score any time as at the end of the day, goals keep you in the team – you are looking over your shoulder here because we have lads like Enda Curran, Jake Keegan, Ryan Manning coming back, and [Stephen] Walshy, so you need to be scoring as there is a lot of pressure,” he told Sentinel Sport after Friday night’s game.

He had scored twice in the win over Shamrock Rovers a fortnight previous, and his first two goals on Friday night were a mirror image of those – beating the ’keeper at his near post after being played through on goal for the first; and peeling away at the back post to head home from ma corner for the second.

“Yeah, I actually thought of that after the second goal, and I was wondering would I get my hat-trick after that as I missed out against Shams! It’s nice to get the hat trick – not that it’s frustrating if you don’t, but you feel like it’s an opportunity missed to get a hat-trick, especially when you’re on it early.

“I had a chance against Shams when keeper produced a good save, but really the deliveries are great, the lads are leaving them on a plate and setting you up,” said Faherty.

Meanwhile the club was handed a nightmare draw in the Third Round of the FAI Ford Cup after being handed an away tie against Premier Division leaders Dundalk.

There was, however, one Galway FC player smiling after last Friday morning’s draw – right-back Colm Horgan has been having a fine season for the club, and the draw will hand him one of his toughest tests yet, as he will come up against older brother, Darryl.

“I’ve only ever marked him once before, when I was with Salthill and he moved to Cork first. Hopefully it will be a good game,” he said. The Cup game will be played on the week ending Sunday August 24.