Galway Utd rally from big deficit to rattle the champs

Galway United  2

Dundalk 4

WHAT a thrilling, edge-of-seat finish – but, ultimately, a disappointing one as Galway United’s search for an unlikely equaliser against the league champions on Tuesday night came up just short in Eamonn Deacy Park.

The best team in the country were coasting to victory when the best player in the country, Richie Towell, scored his second of the night to fire them into a 3-0 lead in the 67th minute. It was no more than the visitors deserved, and they looked set to head into their Champions League adventure next week on the back of a comfortable win, but a substitution in the 72nd minute changed the course of the game.

It wasn’t a change made by United, however, but rather the introduction of Dundalk centre-back Paddy Barrett, who endured a harrowing 20 minutes or so on his return to the club he served so well last season.

He was less than 90 seconds on the pitch when he brought down Padraic Cunningham 25 yards from the Dundalk goal in the 74th minute. He was booked for the infringement, and Enda Curran increased the punishment, bending the subsequent free-kick inside Gary Rogers’ left-hand post for his 10th goal of the season.

The goal lifted the home side, and another unwanted cameo by Barrett saw them set-up a grandstand finish four minutes from time. The hapless defender contested a long ball forward from United, but the only one he challenged in the air was fellow defender, Brian Gartland.

The ball fell for Padraic Cunningham, who had a clear run on goal, and he took a couple of touches before firing past Rogers to cue delirium in the United, and a touch of panic in the Lilywhites.

United had the scent of blood in their nostrils, and they poured forward in search of an unlikely equaliser. They almost had it a minute later when Ryan Connolly sent in a cross from the left and Curran flicked it on with a header to the unmarked Gary Shanahan.

The ball seemed to take an age to fall for him, but he still managed a sweet connection, taking aim at the top corner, but Rogers somehow got a hand to it to keep it out.

The siege of the Dundalk goal continued, and Jake Keegan got on the end of another ball into the danger area, but a combination of Rogers and Sean Gannon somehow prevented the ball from crossing the line.

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