Galway FC’s late rally not enough to cause big upset

Dundalk FC 2

Galway FC 1

GALWAY FC bowed out of the FAI Ford Cup in Oriel Park on Friday night, but not before giving treble-chasing Dundalk the mother and father of all scares after a Padraic Cunningham goal nine minutes from time set up a grandstand finish.

It spoke volumes about the effort of Tommy Dunne’s men that they were applauded off the pitch at full-time by a hugely relieved home support, who came expecting a comfortable victory, but went home very relieved that their team got the job done on the night.

They left the stands grumbling about how their side had made hard work of the win, but the truth is they were made work hard by the visitors who did themselves proud at a ground where the likes of Drogheda United and Cork City have been humbled 7-0 and 4-0 respectively.

A similar scoreline was expected on Friday night, with the hosts unbackable favourites to advance, and while they did completely dominate in terms of possession, territory and chances created, they couldn’t shrug off the Galway challenge and in the end won by the slenderest of margins.

Dundalk named a mid-strength side, with just five of the team who started in the 1-1 draw with Sligo Rovers in the Showgrounds on Monday night retained for Friday’s game. Mind you, a mid-strength side was enough to hammer Wexford Youths 5-0 in the EA Sports Cup semi-final earlier in the season.

There was a Galway flavour to the home side, with former Mervue United player John Mountney starting up front for the Lilywhites; while Salthill man Daryl Horgan took up his usual left-wing position, meaning he was directly up against younger brother Colm.

The home side forced nine corners in the first-half and had 13 efforts on goal. Galway FC won a solitary free-kick and a couple of headers, but also the grudging admiration of the home fans, who expected this First Division side to crumble and not mount they impressive resistance they did.

Tommy Dunne had his side set up with two banks of four lying deep, so while the home outfit dominated possession, it was for the most part in front of Ger Hanley’s 18-yard line, with a lot of those 13 goal-bound efforts being of the speculative variety.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.