GALWAY UNITED AND Shelbourne ground out their fourth and final 1-1 draw of the season as both sides kept their aspirations of European qualification alive at Eamonn Deacy Park.
A waterlogged pitch saw this fixture postponed back in April, with the rescheduled clash having to take place during the international break as the Tribesmen also sought to secure their Premier Division status with just three points separating them from Waterford and Drogheda before kick-off.
Shelbourne started brightly, putting Galway under pressure from back-to-back set pieces but failing to goalkeeper Hugo Pires Da Cunha. Galway responded well before suffering an early setback when Wasiri Williams was forced off after a clash with Ademipo Odubeko.
Shels tried to take full advantage and came close when Evan Caffrey’s header struck the crossbar after some excellent work by Sean Moore on the right-hand side.
The home side were ignited into action immediately, and almost offered the perfect response when Lee Devitt lobbed a ball over the Shelbourne back line to an unmarked Anthony O’Connor, but the former Bradford man’s bicycle kick lacked power and bounced wide of the goal much to the relief of Conor Walsh in goal.
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What followed was a tight affair between two sides both desperate to avoid defeat at Deacy Park, with little separating the sides as the game approached the half-time break.
With four of the five allotted minutes of injury-time played, the game suddenly sprung into life when referee Rob Hennessy signalled a penalty for the home side after Jack Henry-Francis’ attempted clearance was deemed too high against the head of Devitt.
Mipo Odubeko was on the scoresheet. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The Shelbourne players protested furiously, but their appeals were waved away as Galway captain Jimmy Keohane stepped up to smash home the spot-kick and give the Tribesmen a 1-0 lead heading into the half-time break.
Galway got the game back underway, and despite starting well with Aaron Bolger almost adding a second just five minutes in, it was the Shelbourne fans who were on their feet first when Milan Mbeng dispossessed Gianfranco Facchineri down the right-hand side, his pass finding Odubeko in space and the striker made no mistake as he drilled home a low shot to pull one back for Shels and level the game at 1-1.
The tension in Deacy Park was palpable as both sides pushed relentlessly for a winner, knowing three points would be crucial in their quest for a European place.
Shelbourne finished the stronger of the two teams with several chances falling to Ademipo Odubeko, but Galway produced the best opportunity to snatch a crucial victory deep into injury time.
Lomboto’s pace sent him clear of the Shels defence to put him one-on-one with Walsh in goal, but the Galway striker could only fire straight at the Shelbourne goalkeeper which turned out to be the last strike of the game as the final whistle blew to give both sides a share of the spoils for the fourth time this season, the Tribesmen now four points clear of the danger zone with four games to play.
Galway United: Da Cunha; Barrett, Facchineri, Williams (Kazeem 9’, Lomboto 44’), O’Connor, Bolger, Hurley, Keohane, Twardek, Devitt, Walsh (Pierrot 81’).
Shelbourne: Walsh, Mbeng, Casey, Ledwidge, Norris, Henry-Francis, McInroy, Bone (Coote 65’), Caffrey, Odubeko, Moore (Boyd 44’, Martin 77’).
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Galway and Shels play out their fourth 1-1 draw this season
Galway United 1
Shelbourne 1
Paul Madden reports from Eamonn Deacy Park.
GALWAY UNITED AND Shelbourne ground out their fourth and final 1-1 draw of the season as both sides kept their aspirations of European qualification alive at Eamonn Deacy Park.
A waterlogged pitch saw this fixture postponed back in April, with the rescheduled clash having to take place during the international break as the Tribesmen also sought to secure their Premier Division status with just three points separating them from Waterford and Drogheda before kick-off.
Shelbourne started brightly, putting Galway under pressure from back-to-back set pieces but failing to goalkeeper Hugo Pires Da Cunha. Galway responded well before suffering an early setback when Wasiri Williams was forced off after a clash with Ademipo Odubeko.
Shels tried to take full advantage and came close when Evan Caffrey’s header struck the crossbar after some excellent work by Sean Moore on the right-hand side.
The home side were ignited into action immediately, and almost offered the perfect response when Lee Devitt lobbed a ball over the Shelbourne back line to an unmarked Anthony O’Connor, but the former Bradford man’s bicycle kick lacked power and bounced wide of the goal much to the relief of Conor Walsh in goal.
What followed was a tight affair between two sides both desperate to avoid defeat at Deacy Park, with little separating the sides as the game approached the half-time break.
With four of the five allotted minutes of injury-time played, the game suddenly sprung into life when referee Rob Hennessy signalled a penalty for the home side after Jack Henry-Francis’ attempted clearance was deemed too high against the head of Devitt.
The Shelbourne players protested furiously, but their appeals were waved away as Galway captain Jimmy Keohane stepped up to smash home the spot-kick and give the Tribesmen a 1-0 lead heading into the half-time break.
Galway got the game back underway, and despite starting well with Aaron Bolger almost adding a second just five minutes in, it was the Shelbourne fans who were on their feet first when Milan Mbeng dispossessed Gianfranco Facchineri down the right-hand side, his pass finding Odubeko in space and the striker made no mistake as he drilled home a low shot to pull one back for Shels and level the game at 1-1.
The tension in Deacy Park was palpable as both sides pushed relentlessly for a winner, knowing three points would be crucial in their quest for a European place.
Shelbourne finished the stronger of the two teams with several chances falling to Ademipo Odubeko, but Galway produced the best opportunity to snatch a crucial victory deep into injury time.
Lomboto’s pace sent him clear of the Shels defence to put him one-on-one with Walsh in goal, but the Galway striker could only fire straight at the Shelbourne goalkeeper which turned out to be the last strike of the game as the final whistle blew to give both sides a share of the spoils for the fourth time this season, the Tribesmen now four points clear of the danger zone with four games to play.
Galway United: Da Cunha; Barrett, Facchineri, Williams (Kazeem 9’, Lomboto 44’), O’Connor, Bolger, Hurley, Keohane, Twardek, Devitt, Walsh (Pierrot 81’).
Shelbourne: Walsh, Mbeng, Casey, Ledwidge, Norris, Henry-Francis, McInroy, Bone (Coote 65’), Caffrey, Odubeko, Moore (Boyd 44’, Martin 77’).
Referee: Rob Hennessy
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