Furlong is on target again as Galway Utd move to the top

Galway United 3

Cabinteely 1

GALWAY United once again had hot-shot Danny Furlong to thank on Friday night, the striker hitting his 5th and 6th goals in just three games for his new side as the Tribesmen moved top of the First Division table.

Furlong scored a hat-trick on his debut against Athlone; found the net in the 1-1 draw against UCD last week; and on Friday night he scored either side of a Conor Barry strike to show just how valuable he will be to United’s promotion push this season.

Cabinteely were the better side in the early stages, and a decent spell of pressure saw them force three corners in as many minutes, but the United goal was never threatened.

Furlong and Maurice Nugent both went close in what was a poor first half before Furlong broke the deadlock three minutes from the break. Conor Barry emerged from a 50/50 challenge with possession midway inside the Cabinteely half, and he looked up to spot Furlong on his left. He threaded a ball into his path, and Furlong ran into the box before firing under the advancing Stephen McGuinness.

The second-half started in the same scrappy fashion – Cabinteely were there to be put away, but United moved neither the ball, nor themselves, half quick enough as they often took too much out of the ball when simple first-time passes were available to carve the visitors open.

They did finally pick up the tempo on the hour mark, and with it, their second goal. Cabinteely had their first effort on target but Kevin Knight’s weak header was straight at Tadhg Ryan, and when United cleared their lines, the ball fell to Barry on the edge of the box and he curled a beauty into the far top corner.

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