League Report: Galway United 1 - 2 Longford Town

It was almost a balmy night at Deacy Park when Galway United kicked off against Longford Town but ended in driving rain. Galway manager Tommy Dunne took the big step of dropping Conor Gleeson and handed a start to Conor Winn between the sticks, while Horgan, Oji and Curran all returned.

Little did we know at the start that the home side would have a centre back red carded after 25 minutes after taking a very early lead - mimicking the Drogheda game last week. However on this occasion the home side ended up on the wrong side on the result.

Galway took the lead after six minutes when Jake Keegan neatly tucked the ball into the bottom corner to finish off a move he started himself. Keegan played in Jason Molloy who raced into the box and his initial shot was parried by Paul Hunt but Keegan followed up expertly to score.

The home side impressed early on with Enda Curran prominent and it was eighteen minutes before Longford posed any threat when they forced a corner following a mix up between Oji and Byrne. Longford came more into the game as Stephen Rice prompted and urged his men forward. Don Cowan looked a real threat on the right wing with his pace, with Colm Horgan earning a yellow card after 22 minutes for 'taking him out'.

Three minutes Galway were down to ten men when Stephen Walsh was red carded by referee Adriano Reale. While there was contact between the players, it looked accidental and certainly the ultimate sanction was very harsh.

Unlike last week Galway had another centre back on the field in the shape of Andy O'Connell, who started in midfield and just dropped back into the back four with Enda Curran taking up a hold role in the middle - where he proceeded to put in a very good display.

Don Cowan was now posing a real threat to Galway and he continually asked questions of the home rearguard.  The equaliser when it came on the stroke of half time had a fortunate tinge to it - with Powell's cross being touched on by Shaw, with Connor Winn stranded, the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Longford enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the second period, as expected, but Galway's ten men kept their shape extremely well and their work rate was exceptional. David O'Leary picked up a yellow on 56 minutes as pressure began to mount. Galway introduced substitutes Padraic Cunningham and Kevin Garcia for Keegan and Molloy and manager Dunne looked to introduce some 'fresh legs' to the fray.

The pressure was increasing on Galway, but they were coping well as Longford piled forward. I looked as though they might survive, particularly after a series of Longford shots, all on target, and all blocked after 88 minutes.

The breakthrough came in the dying seconds of the three added minutes, when Don Cowen planted the ball in the net, when a corner was not cleared. Mayhem ensued with Oji and Flynn both getting straight red cards for looked like an 'off the ball' incident. Ninety seven minutes had elapsed before played was restarted and the final whistle blown.

Galway will be very upset with way this game panned out, while Tony Cousins can hardly believe his luck, while referee Adriano Reale will have ticked both sides off, albeit not in equal measure.

Galway United: Conor Winn; Alex Byrne, Sam Oji, Stephen Walsh, Colm Horgan, Andy O'Connell, Jason Molloy, (Kevin Garcia 64)  Gary Shanahan, David O'Leary, Jake Keegan, (Padraic, Cunningham 64) Enda Curran (Paul Sinnot 83).
Subs not used: Cormac Raftery,  Connor Gleeson, Antaine O'Laoi, Conor Barry.

Booked: Horgan (23), O'Leary (56), Garcia (90).
Sent Off: Walsh (26), Oji (90+4).

Longford Town: Paul Hunt; William Tyrrell (Mark Salmon 79), Pat Sullivan, Pat Flynn, Conor Powell; Lorcan Shannon (Martin Deady 54), Stephen Rice, Kevin O'Connor, Don Cowan (Rhys Gorman 96); Gary Shaw, David O'Sullivan.
Subs not used: Paul Skinner (gk), Tom Morris, Kalem Simon, Dylan McKeever.

Booked: None.
Sent Off: Pat Flynn (90+5).

Referee: Adriano Reale.

Attendance: 

Man of the Match: Don Cowan (Longford Town)