Greene’s magic seals priceless point

Date Published: 03-Nov-2009

IT is a case of déjà vu for Galway United as their survival in the Premier Division will once again come down to the final day of the season when they host Cork City in Terryland Park on Friday night thanks to an unlikely draw in the Tallaght Stadium last Friday.

Teenage striker Aaron Greene provided a piece of individual brilliance in the 69th minute, skipping past two Shamrock Rovers defenders before squeezing the ball past goalkeeper Alan Mannus for an equaliser which means that United’s destiny remains in their own hands on Friday.

United were trailing to a Gary Twigg header – to be honest, Rovers should have been out of sight such was the number of chances they had – but a combination of poor finishing and some wonder-saves from Barry Ryan meant United were still in the game.

With St Patrick’s Athletic winning against Drogheda United, and having a better goal difference than United, it was crucial that Ian Foster’s side took something from a game in which Shamrock Rovers needed to win to keep their title challenge alive.

There looked like only being one outcome – United’s first effort on goal came in the 60th minute, Vinny Faherty heading an Alan Murphy free-kick a couple of yards wide – but then Greene latched onto a Murphy pass wide on the right in the 69th minute and headed towards goal.

He turned veteran defender Ollie Cahill not once but twice, then wrong-footed Aidan Price, changing direction and cutting inside, before firing low and hard inside the near post of Mannus for his fifth – and arguably most – goal of the season.

United finished the game with 10 men when central defender Garry Breen was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, meaning an already under siege United played the last 14 minutes with their backs to the wall, but they held on for a priceless point.

For more see page 30 of The Sentinel