HARRY WOOD SALVAGED a penalty point for Shelbourne as they couldn’t make their dominance pay to give Joey O’Brien a belated birthday present.
Reds were looking for a first win of season in their first home game of the campaign to cap their head coach turning 40 on Tuesday.
But it wasn’t to be as tenacious Galway, just as they did in holding Shels to three draws last season, frustrated the Drumcondra side on their home turf.
Starting with plenty energy and intent, Shels pinned Galway in from the get go, Kameron Ledwidge and Maill Lundgren blazing early openings over the top.
It was far from oneway traffic, though, as Galway were more than capable of threatening on the counterattack in the guise of Jimmy Koehane, Stephen Walsh and Francely Lomboto.
One such transition brought the game’s first yellow card when Kameron Ledwidge pulled down Arthur Parker.
With Lundgren lively in probing for openings, Shels continued to enjoy much of the ball, Will Jarvis curling another shot wide on 20 minutes before Galway had to defend a series of corners.
For all their dominance of the ball, Shels’ early promise wasn’t translating into clearcut chances as Evan Watts in the visitors’ goal wasn’t being tested.
Advertisement
A Jarvis cross broke for Kerr McInroy on the edge of the area just past the half hour. The Scottish playmaker drilled his shot well wide as you sensed frustration in the home support mounting.
Further unease arrived for Reds on 40 minutes with skipper Paddy Barrett having to go off injured as Sam Bone entered the fray in a straight replacement in the centre of their back three.
That was followed by perhaps Galway’s first glimpse of danger with Lee Devitt and Lomboto shooting off target as the game remained scoreless at the interval.
With added impetus to their game, Shels resumed very much on the front foot.
Odhran Casey had a shot bravely blocked by Devitt while John Martin came alive to drill wide before looping a header over the top.
Kris Twardek's strike that gave Galway the lead.... for less than two minutes!😶
The game desperately needed a spark and it thankfully finally came alive, if in unexpected circumstances, as Galway snatched the lead on 62 minutes.
Wasiri Williams dinked a ball in behind for the run of David Hurley.
The midfielder’s low cross to the near post picked out substitute Kris Twardek with the Canadian shooting through the legs of Wessel Speel to the net with the first shot on target in the game.
The surprise lead scarcely lasted two minutes as Shels levelled thanks to two substitutes of theirs combining.
Sean Boyd flicked on Speel’s long clearance before Portuguese Rodrigo Freitas was hauled to the ground by Williams inside the area.
Related Reads
Brennan and Noonan on target as Shamrock Rovers finally launch title defence
Flares rain down on new Oriel Park pitch as Drogheda secure late draw with Dundalk
Power struggle over Israel stance could be Trivela's lasting legacy at Drogheda United
The Galway defender was duly shown a yellow card before Wood scored emphatically from the penalty spot, sending Watts the wrong way.
The game pulsating now, Shels should have taken the lead five minutes later.
With Galway stretched, Freitas broke down the middle to set up McInroy whose low drive was straight at Watts.
Minutes later, the Galway goalkeeper produced the save of the game to thwart Lundgren when tipping the Swede’s shot out for a corner.
In a further defensive worry for Shels, they had to play out the last seven minutes or so with 10 men as Casey was forced off injured.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Wood penalty ensures share of the spoils between Shelbourne and Galway United
Shelbourne 1
Galway United 1
Paul Buttner reports from Tolka Park
HARRY WOOD SALVAGED a penalty point for Shelbourne as they couldn’t make their dominance pay to give Joey O’Brien a belated birthday present.
Reds were looking for a first win of season in their first home game of the campaign to cap their head coach turning 40 on Tuesday.
But it wasn’t to be as tenacious Galway, just as they did in holding Shels to three draws last season, frustrated the Drumcondra side on their home turf.
Starting with plenty energy and intent, Shels pinned Galway in from the get go, Kameron Ledwidge and Maill Lundgren blazing early openings over the top.
It was far from oneway traffic, though, as Galway were more than capable of threatening on the counterattack in the guise of Jimmy Koehane, Stephen Walsh and Francely Lomboto.
One such transition brought the game’s first yellow card when Kameron Ledwidge pulled down Arthur Parker.
With Lundgren lively in probing for openings, Shels continued to enjoy much of the ball, Will Jarvis curling another shot wide on 20 minutes before Galway had to defend a series of corners.
For all their dominance of the ball, Shels’ early promise wasn’t translating into clearcut chances as Evan Watts in the visitors’ goal wasn’t being tested.
A Jarvis cross broke for Kerr McInroy on the edge of the area just past the half hour. The Scottish playmaker drilled his shot well wide as you sensed frustration in the home support mounting.
Further unease arrived for Reds on 40 minutes with skipper Paddy Barrett having to go off injured as Sam Bone entered the fray in a straight replacement in the centre of their back three.
That was followed by perhaps Galway’s first glimpse of danger with Lee Devitt and Lomboto shooting off target as the game remained scoreless at the interval.
With added impetus to their game, Shels resumed very much on the front foot.
Odhran Casey had a shot bravely blocked by Devitt while John Martin came alive to drill wide before looping a header over the top.
The game desperately needed a spark and it thankfully finally came alive, if in unexpected circumstances, as Galway snatched the lead on 62 minutes.
Wasiri Williams dinked a ball in behind for the run of David Hurley.
The midfielder’s low cross to the near post picked out substitute Kris Twardek with the Canadian shooting through the legs of Wessel Speel to the net with the first shot on target in the game.
The surprise lead scarcely lasted two minutes as Shels levelled thanks to two substitutes of theirs combining.
Sean Boyd flicked on Speel’s long clearance before Portuguese Rodrigo Freitas was hauled to the ground by Williams inside the area.
The Galway defender was duly shown a yellow card before Wood scored emphatically from the penalty spot, sending Watts the wrong way.
The game pulsating now, Shels should have taken the lead five minutes later.
With Galway stretched, Freitas broke down the middle to set up McInroy whose low drive was straight at Watts.
Minutes later, the Galway goalkeeper produced the save of the game to thwart Lundgren when tipping the Swede’s shot out for a corner.
In a further defensive worry for Shels, they had to play out the last seven minutes or so with 10 men as Casey was forced off injured.
Shelbourne: Speel; Mbeng (Caffrey, 60), Casey, Barrett (Bone, 40), Ledwidge; McInroy, Henry-Francis; Wood, Lundgren (Kelly, 76), Jarvis (Boyd, 60); Martin (Freitas, 60).
Galway United: Watts; Williams, Facchineri, Brouder; Parker, Hurley, Bolger (Wolfe, 82), Keohane (McCarthy, 73), Devitt; Lomboto (Twardek, 55), Walsh (Barratt, 55).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
All Square Galway United LOI Premier Division Shelbourne Soccer