Galway and Waterford play out stalemate in final game at Pearse Stadium

Galway remain in seventh while it was another vital point earned in Waterford's relegation battle

Francely Lomboto had a late chance to give Galway victory over Waterford. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Galway United 0 Waterford 0

It was a case of spoils being shared in Salthill on Saturday as Galway United and Waterford ground out a 0-0 draw in the final fixture at Pearse Stadium this summer.

The home side kicked off and almost grabbed an early lead when a shot by Aaron Bolger was cleared off the line by John Mahon. The Tribesmen enjoyed the majority of early chances but it was Waterford who came closest to opening the scoring when a Jordan Houston cross was headed into the path of Mahon but the Sligo man’s shot struck the crossbar before being cleared.

The game ebbed and flowed as both sides forced multiple corners in the first half, with Galway squandering their best chance of the game when Jimmy Keohane’s short free-kick was blazed over by David Hurley. 

Waterford responded well and Mahon again found himself in the thick of the action when a Kevin Long header from a Jordan Houston cross fell perfectly for the Waterford defender only for his strike to bounce back off the Galway United crossbar.

Waterford pressed well and almost had the ball in the back of the net when a flick by Pádraig Amond by struck high and wide by Houston, before back-to-back shots by William Johnson failed to test the Galway goalkeeper as the two sides went in level at the break.

The away side got the game back underway as the second half saw both sides press hard for a crucial opening goal, Conan Noonan’s strike sailing high and wide of the Galway goal before Hurley did the same at the other end. 

Set pieces looked to be the most likely source of goals as the game progressed with referee Paul Norton called into action on multiple occasions, however neither side managed to test their opposition goalkeepers.

Galway boss John Caulfield emptied his bench in a desperate attempt to snatch a late winner, with substitute Francely Lomboto coming closest with a shot from close range struck narrowly wide of the Waterford goal. 

In the end it was honours even in Salthill, Waterford moving two points clear of Sligo Rovers at the bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division, while the Tribesmen remain seventh as they gear up for a big return to Eamonn Deacy Park next month.

Galway United: Pires da Cunha; Barrett (Wolfe 67’), Facchineri, Williams, Kavanagh, Bolger, Hurley, Keohane (Devitt 88’), McCarthy (Twardek 78’), Walsh, Pierrot (Lomboto 67’).

Waterford: McMullan; Cann, Couto, Long, Mahon, Houston, Heeney (McLaughlin 64’), Johnson, Coonan, Lonergan, Amond (Voilas 85’).

Referee: Paul Norton