Comfortable win for Dundalk as Galway crumble

Galway 0 Dundalk 3

A brace from centre-back Michael Hector, and a wonder strike by Mark Quigley, condemned the home side to their fifth defeat on the bounce, and it could have been worse only for some good saves from keeper Greg Fleming.

Neither side dominated the first-half, but the Lilywhites made their only two efforts on target in the opening 45 minutes count to take complete control of the game.

Hector lost Sean Kelly to head home a Daniel Kearns free-kick in the 33rd minute, and Quigley doubled the lead eight minutes later.

The striker collected possession midway inside the United half and was allowed advance unchallenged to the edge of the penalty area from where he curled a delicious shot past Fleming.

Hector grabbed his second in the 70th minute, the goal again coming from a set-piece. Keith Ward’s free-kick picked out the tall defender, whose header was brilliantly saved by Fleming, The United defence failed to clear, however, and the ball fell for Hector to tap home from a yard.

GALWAY UNITED: Fleming; Sinnott, Maher, Walsh, Duci; S Kelly, Feeney, G Kelly (Curran 65); Keogh (Gilmore 60), Murphy, Moore.

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Madden, Hector, Guthrie, Murphy; Kearns, Ward, McDonnell (inj, Hawkins 90), Gaynor; Byrne (Griffin 73), Quigley (inj, Breen 62).

Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare).