Borden nets winner for Galway in pulsating final 20 minutes against Waterford

Vincent Borden of Galway United, right, celebrates with team-mate Greg Cunningham after scoring his side's winning goal against Waterford. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Galway United 1 Waterford 0 

Galway United inflicted a seventh defeat in nine against a frustrated Waterford side in a slow-burn of a game that finally ignited in the final quarter.

A pulsating final twenty minutes contrasted starkly with a sedate start. The terraces were unusually subdued. There was endeavour in the middle but few flashes of quality in either box.

Pulses were eventually raised when Moses Dyer went down in the box in the 16th minute. United had forced a succession of throws and Darragh Leahy grappled with the Kiwi at the end of one. RefereePaul McLaughlin correctly concluded that there wasn’t enough in it for a penalty.

There was more dynamism about the home team in the first quarter. Moses Dyer dropped in and was a threat between the lines. Jimmy Keohane was composed in midfield. Jeannot Esua rampaged on the right.

Killian Brouder had the first shot of significance in the 36th minute. Stephen McMullan parried it, and Grant Horton bundled clear smartly to deny Stephen Walsh a rebound.

There was more zip to the second half. Pádraig Amond tickled the gloves of Evan Watts with a 20-yard free-kick. Keohane showed a bit of magic in the opposite box, but Horton was in the right place at the right time again.

The game was beginning to open up. United struggled for quality with their crosses and long deliveries. Navajo Bakboord showed how it was done, when he fizzed in a cross that could have been converted by his compatriot Maarten Pouwels. However, the tall striker was on his heels.

It provoked United into action. Twice in succession, Dyer and Bobby Burns combined on the left but the crosses delivered couldn’t be converted. The second resulted in a corner and Burns himself drove a loose ball low and hard that McMullan smothered well in the 68th minute.

Amond was desperately close to turning in a Conor Noonan cross five minutes later as the visitors improved. McMullan had a nervy moment soon after when Esua made a nuisance of himself in the box.

He was central again in the other box when he nearly turned into his own net in a goalmouth scramble. He hustled to prevent the own goal, but the resultant corner did the damage, Borden climbing highest to head home from six yards.

Waterford piled on the pressure but United held firm. They are the only unbeaten side remaining in the division.

GALWAY UNITED: Watts; Esua, Slevin, Brouder, Cunningham, Burns (Donelon 77); Keohane (Borden 59), Hickey, Byrne; Dyer, Walsh (Hurley 59) 

WATERFORD: McMullan; Bakboord. Horton, Radkowski, Leahy, Burke; Olayinka (Glenfield 84), McMenamy, Noonan; Pouwels, Amond Referee: P McLaughlin