Aaron Bolger's stunning volley ensures Galway United hold Bohemians

Colm Whelan’s 10th goal of the season from the spot had Bohs in front before Bolger’s powerful volley before the break earned United a battling draw in Phibsborough.

BRILLIANT BOLGER: Dawson Devoy in action against Aaron Bolger. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

Bohemians 1 Galway United 1

Bohs had to settle for a point against a gutsy Galway United side as the hosts failed to make signifcant ground on leaders Shamrock Rovers.

Colm Whelan’s 10th goal of the season from the spot had Bohs in front before Aaron Bolger’s powerful volley before the break earned United a battling draw in Phibsborough.

Having overcome Ballkani in the most dramatic of circumstances on Thursday night, it was back to domestic action with a bang for Alan Reynolds' charges as they played their first league game in thirty days.

In a frenetic start, the well-rested visitors went close when Bolger swiped at a volley from close range just two minutes in.

This early warning sign sparked the home side into life and they began to move the ball swiftly and really should have been ahead with just 12-minutes played.

Dayle Rooney showed clever movement to collect a long ball over the top and having broken the offside trap, the wingback saw his low shot expertly saved by the onrushing da Cunha.

Ramping up the pressure, Bohs went close through Harry Vaughan’s long-range effort before Douglas James-Taylor's strike from point blank range was bravely blocked.

But from the resulting corner the hosts finally broke the deadlock. Galway skipper Jimmy Keohane hauled down Cian Byrne right in front of the referee which Whelan dutifully accepted and make no mistake from 12 yards, notching his sixth penalty of the campaign.

To their credit, and probably expected from a John Caulfield side, the visitors dug deep and found a stunning equaliser when Boger smashed home a first-time volley after Keohane’s initial in-swinging free kick wasn’t dealt with.

Desperately looking to restore their lead, Bohs went close on the stroke of half time through the busy Vaughan, who cut inside sharply from the right and forced Da Cunha into a full stretch fingertip save.

A tension-filled second half ensued with the home side doing most of the running in search of an all-elusive winner. Thursday night's penalty hero Jordan Flores saw his free kick on the edge of the area whizz past the top corner before fellow sub Ross Tierney saw his first time effort clawed out of the bottom corner by man-of-the-match da Cunha, who pulled off a number of top class saves to ensure his side took a huge point back out West.

Bohemians: Paul Girard Walters: Cian Byrne (Markuss Strods 82), Pat Hickey, Sam Todd; Darragh Power, Dawson Devoy, Niall Morahan (Ross Tierney 66), Harry Vaughan; Dayle Rooney (Connor Parsons 82); Colm Whelan, Douglas James-Taylor (Jordan Flores 66).

Galway United: Hugo Pires Da Cunha; Jimmy Keohane, Wasiri Williams, Gianfranco Facchineri, Al-Amin Kazeem; Aaron Bolger (Junior Thiam 87), David Hurley, Ed McCarthy; Dylan Connolly (Francely Lomboto 62), Lee Devitt, Frantz Pierrot (Kris Twardek 70).

Referee: Rob Hennessy.