Galway secure win over Shelbourne in gripping encounter
SPANNER IN THE WORKS: Galway United’s Jimmy Keohane celebrates scoring a goal with teammates. Picture: ©INPHO/Evan Logan
The tale of the top of the table took another turn in Terryland as Shelbourne slumped to their second defeat of the season in Galway.
The scoreline was lacking in its descriptive powers as this was a gripping game from start to finish that should have seen more goals.
Fancied for their four-point advantage coming into the game, that Shels lead had largely evaporated inside two minutes. It could be said to have been the ideal start for a game between the league’s stingiest defences.
Indeed, after a number of cagey encounters between the teams, usually decided by the odd goal if at all, it was a fascinating game laced with incident and smatterings of quality.
The build-up for the first was rudimentary, the finish exquisite. Clarke booted long from the back. It made its way to the Jimmy Keohane, who cut in and made Conor Kearns a bystander with a perfect curler to the far corner.
He nearly teed up a second soon after, when excellent interplay between himself and Ed McCarthy saw his opposite winger’s shot crash off the crossbar.
On the quarter hour mark, he cut-back for Vince Borden, whose shot was stopped near the line by Paddy Barrett. Sean Gannon was on hand to stop Keohane’s rebound too.
Shels eventually settled and a much more even first-half contest ensued. John Martin was agonisingly close to turning in an Ali Coote corner. Aiden O’ Brien and Rayhaan Tulloch threatened too. But Conor Kearns needed to be sharp at the other end to deny Hickey and McCarthy.
The Keohane show continued in the second. He was at the heart of all the action. He should have done better with a free header from a corner in the 52nd minute. Stephen Walsh certainly should have done better when he was picked out by the winger. His free hit from eight yards was drilled wide.
Damien Duff and Joey O’ Brien played every card they had. They brought on Harry Wood, Liam Burt and Sean Boyd to try and turn the tide.
Tulloch looked the likeliest on the left. He gave Colm Horgan plenty to worry about but the decisive moment eluded the tricky winger. Evan Caffrey came closest in the end but his free-kick was smothered by Brendan Clarke. It was enough to hand his side another famous win and throw another spanner in the title and European races.
: Clarke; Horgan (Slevin 81), Buckley, Brouder, Cunningham; Keohane, Borden (Hurley 69), McCormack, Hickey, McCarthy (Burns 69); Walsh
: Kearns; Gannon, Griffin (Ledwidge 59), Barrett, Wilson (Smith 77); Coote (Burt 66), Caffrey, Coyle (Wood 59), Tulloch; Martin, O’ Brien (Boyd 66)
: K O’ Sullivan
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