League Report: Galway FC 4 - 1 Cobh Ramblers

Vinny Faherty stole the headlines with a first-half hat-trick as Galway FC stormed to a big 4-1 victory at home against a plucky Cobh Ramblers side at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Taking the lead from as early as the 23^rd second through Faherty, Tommy Dunne's charges laid down a solid marker to their challengers. And although it was veteran Faherty who tucked the ball away neatly past Robert Birdsall from inside the box, it was new-man Enda Curran who assisted him with a delectable through ball.

From there, the hosts sat back instead of taking the tie by the scruff of the neck, and combined with some high-pressing from the visitors, they began to give the ball away cheaply for the next quarter of an hour.

But it didn't stop them from threatening Birdsall's goal as Faherty got a brace in the 17^th minute, heading home a corner from Ryan Connolly.

And then, a mere two minutes later, Galway's no.9 completed his hat-trick inside 20 minutes after Jason Molloy set up a nice, flowing counter-attack with a lovely backheel to find Connolly who tore down the wing to send in a deep cross that pinged off the crossbar before landing on Faherty's grateful head.

At 3-0 up, one expected them to push on and grab yet more goals before the first half had come to an end, but they didn't look hungry enough, and they soon paid a heavy price as Ramblers pulled one back through their star man, Martin Deady.

Alex Byrne was the guilty party as he brought down Ronan Stanton just inside the area, and from the resulting spot-kick, Deady smashed the ball into the top corner, leaving Ger Hanley with no chance.

And with Tommy Dunne clearly riled up on the touchline, it looked as though the home side would re-emerge a refreshed outfit after the break, but it simply didn't transpire as the football on show took a turn for the worse.

Continuing to relinquish possession far too easily, the men from the west seemed to have given Cobh Ramblers an easy path back into the match, but they just couldn't capitalise on it due to some wasteful finishing and a stop-start pattern to the game.

Eventually, in the 69^th minute, the match sprang to life once more after a goal-mouth scramble involving Faherty and Cobh's Roy Kenny took place resulting in the defender receiving a nasty knock that forced him to exit the game.

And then, in the 76^th minute Connolly was key in setting up another chance for the Galwegians as they went in search of yet more goals.

Breaking away from deep inside his own territory, he linked up with Ryan Manning, who returned the favour before Connolly's cross from the byline was cut back inside dangerously. Unfortunately for the expectant fans, it was gathered in easily by the Cobh custodian.

And it was Connolly who was key once again to a Galway attack as he produced some magical dribbling to worm his way through a crowded box in the 84^th minute before pulling back for substitute Jake Keegan who made no mistake from three yards out.

And with that the game was over, but it didn't stop the trailing side from continuing to push for another goal as Martin Deady produced a chipped pass that Brendan Kenny met with a glancing header, but the effort floated wide.

All in all, an expected result that the home support will be satisfied with – but there remains plenty of work to do to if they're to catch both Shelbourne and Longford Town.

Galway FC: Ger Hanley; Alex Byrne, Marc Ludden, Stephen Walsh, Colm Horgan; Jason Molloy, Paul Sinnott, Ryan Connolly (Robbie Egan 88), Gary Shanahan (Ryan Manning 64); Vinny Faherty, Enda Curran (Jake Keegan 62).
Unused subs: Connor Gleeson (gk), Aaron McDonagh, Cormac Raftery, Richard Fahy.

Bookings: Horgan (44)

Cobh Ramblers: Robert Birdsall; Roy Kenny (Nathaniel Gumbo 74), Craig Burns, Brendan Frehill, Anthony O'Donnell; Martin Deady, Alan O'Flynn (Christopher McCarthy 59), Gary Comerford, Stephen Kenny; Ronan Stanton, Kynan Rocks (Brendan Kenny 77).
Unused subs: Daniel Barry, Keith O'Flynn, Eoin Hastings, Steven Hickey.

Bookings: O'Donnell (60)

Referee: Kevin O'Regan

Attendance: 775

Extratime Man of the Match: Vinny Faherty (Galway FC)