St Patrick’s Athletic 1
Galway United 3
GALWAY UNITED FINISHED with a flourish as late goals from John Sullivan and substitute Enda Curran sealed a hugely encouraging success.
Tommy Dunne’s side are quietly optimistic about making an impact in this season’s SSE Airtricity League and a defiant display was rewarded with the full complement of spoils.
Chances were scarce during the opening period as Galway were content to depart at the break still on level terms.
Galway went close in the fourth minute, but debutant Ruairi Keating just couldn’t connect with a sharp Vinny Faherty cross.
Billy Dennehy drilled a seventh minute free-kick narrowly wide as Liam Buckley’s charges probed for an opener.
In the 28th minute Graham Kelly drilled a shot over the bar, but with Stephen Folan effective anchoring the Galway defence the visitors went in deadlocked at half-time.
But within a minute of the restart Pat’s bagged a goal when Fagan expertly headed home an inviting Billy Dennehy cross.
In the 58th minute Galway restored parity as Vinny Faherty equalised with a crisp finish from an acute angle.
Curran and John Sullivan went close for Galway before the Saints came swinging again.
Billy Dennehy rifled an attempt over, while Galway goalkeeper Conor Winn clawed away a Christy Fagan shot in the 78th minute.
The Saints were stunned with seven minutes remaining when John Sullivan headed home a smashing Connolly free-kick before Curran decorated the win in stoppage time.
ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien, Darren Dennehy, Sean Hoare, Ian Bermingham; Shane McEleney, David Cawley, Graham Kelly (Mark Timlin, 72); Conan Byrne, Christy Fagan (Dinny Corcoran, 79), Billy Dennehy.
GALWAY UNITED: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Stephen Folan, Stephen Walsh; Gary Shanahan (Conor Melody, 77), John Sullivan, Ryan Connolly, Kevin Devaney (Kilian Cantwell, 85); Ruairi Keating (Enda Curran, 45), Vinny Faherty.
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin)
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