Galway United emerged from Saturday night’s tie with Sligo Rovers in The Showgrounds with another valuable point in their bid to escape the drop thanks to Jay O’Shea’s 75th-minute penalty. While United’s unbeaten run has now stretched to six games, this was definitely a case of a point gained rather than two points dropped.
Once Rafael Cretaro opened the scoring for the hosts in the 52nd minute there looked to be only one possible outcome – a Rovers win. Apart from an effective spell from the visitors in the opening 10 minutes, Paul Cook’s men were the better side throughout. Cretaro’s pace and trickery caused untold problems for United’s rearguard all evening, but a one-goal lead is always a slender one, no matter how bad the opposition play.
Back in April, a similarly timed goal from Faz Kudozovic led to a capitulation from United, so at least the battling qualities Jeff Kenna has instilled kept his troops in the game. They rode their luck at times, but the attacking substitutions Kenna made eventually paid off, as Vinny Faherty and Derek Glynn combined to force Danny Ventre into a rash challenge on the Claremorris native.
There is a case to argue that the changes could have been made earlier, as both Alan Murphy and Jesper Jorgensen were extremely ineffective on the night. Glynn and Faherty, as well as Iarflaith Davoren, have shown themselves as viable options for tomorrow night’s tie with St Patrick’s Athletic. With Jonathan Keane also returning to the fold, Kenna has some tough decisions to make.
A typical Connacht derby, this game started at a hectic pace. Rovers could have availed of two unmarked men when counter-attacking in the second minute; instead it was Jorgensen who fired straight at Brush at the other end from the left of the area. A bit of O’Shea magic eight minutes later teed up John Russell, whose crisp half-volley was destined for the bottom right corner before Richard Brush made a fantastic diving save.
Apart from Brush’s intervention to deny O’Shea in the 32nd minute, that was as good as it got for United in the opening half. Rovers looked dangerous whenever they crossed the halfway line and Conor O’Grady (twice ), Sean Doherty, and David McDaid were all guilty of spurning headed opportunities.
In the 37th minute, O’Grady forced Gary Rogers into a diving save and from the ensuing corner John Lester had to be sharp to head out McDaid’s looping header from under his own crossbar. The dashing full-back Seamus Coleman then brought another routine save from Rogers before the ’keeper’s poor kick gave Brian Cash a sight of goal but he failed to find the target.
Cretaro should have made more from a two on one break in first-half stoppage time but chose to go himself rather than square for McDaid and was crowded out by John Fitzgerald. The large travelling contingent were almost celebrating an unlikely opening goal five minutes after the break when Russell, again, stung Brush’s hands with a shot which Brush had to retreat back to tip over the crossbar following his initial save.
Russell was unlucky to see his shot on the turn arrow straight at Brush, seconds before Rovers took the lead. O’Grady’s pinpoint pass from deep picked out McDaid, who laid off to Cretaro just inside the United half. Cretaro deftly evaded the lunging challenge of Alan Keane and strode purposefully at the heart of the defence. Seamus Conneely backed off rather than commit to a challenge and the striker took advantage, curling past Roger’s from the 18-yard line.
Cue the trio of substitutes, although Faherty’s 71st-minute introduction could have been irrelevant had McDaid not blazed over the bar four minutes earlier. Faherty provided a much sharper tip to the United attack upon his introduction, although it would have taken some effort to have made it any blunter.
Cretaro could well have doubled his tally on 72 minutes when Doherty played him in, but Rogers stood tall and forced the Tubbercurry man into a shot which the ‘keeper held on to well. It was not to be the custodian’s last action of the night.
By the time he made a smart save from Paul McTiernan in added time, it was a critical moment in preserving his side’s point, gained through O’Shea’s precise spot-kick 15 minutes beforehand. Lester had provided the cross which Faherty headed back across goal. Glynn sniffed a chance and scrambled for possession. Ventre’s lunge upended the striker and Derek Tomney’s shrill blast of the whistle brought hope to the travelling support’s hearts.
Following the bizarre set of results at the weekend, United remain stuck at the bottom with five games to play. While the financial woes of more high profile clubs may alter the relegation landscape, ninth spot is still the target for now. Five games remain, from which at least nine points are required. A bounty of any sort will be appreciated from Inchicore tomorrow night before ties with Bray (home ), Derry (away ), Finn Harps (home ), and UCD (away ) will decide Galway United’s fate.
Sligo Rovers: Brush; Coleman, Almeida, Peers, Ventre; Cash (Feeney,83 ), O’Grady, Ryan, Doherty (McTiernan, 88 ); Cretaro, McDaid.
Galway United: Rogers; Conneely, Keane, Fitzgerald, McCulloch; Murphy (Davoren, 61 ), Foley (Glynn, 61 ), Lester, Russell; Jorgensen (Faherty, 71 ), O’Shea.
Referee: Derek Tomney.
