Promotion Playoff Report: Galway United 3 - 0 Longford Town

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

Galway United will face Waterford next in the playoffs after winning 3-0 against Longford Town on Sunday night. That result sees the Tribesmen progress 5-2 on aggregate across the two legs.

David Hurley opened the scoring in the first half and then Mikie Rowe came off the bench to score as did Rob Manley to set up another big encounter with the Blues.

John Caulfield made just one change from the 2-2 first leg in Longford on Wednesday with Ronan Manning dropping to the bench and Bastien Hery taking his place. There was no room in the starting line up for both Mikie Rowe and Rob Manley despite both players scoring twice against De Town in the last two meetings between the side.

Longford boss Gary Cronin made three changes to his team with Kian Corbally, Karl Chambers and Adam Verdon all starting on the bench with Shane Elworthy, Mark Hanratty and Joe Power all coming in to replace the trio.

The game started at a frantic pace although neither side was able to trouble the goalkeepers at either end.

United were nearly in front in the 11^th minute however, when David Hurley found Stephen Walsh with a well struck corner-kick. The striker powered the header at the goal, but Mark Hanratty came to Luke Dennison’s rescue as he headed the ball off the line.

Longford had a good chance in the 20^th minute when Darren Clarke sent a dangerous ball into the box from the right, Galway’s defence failed to clear with possession eventually falling to Shane Elworthy who quickly got a shot away, but it was blocked.

The visitors were on the attack again a minute later with a good break led by Jordan Adeyemo, he played the ball to the left and into the path of Hanratty – the midfielder drilled a ball low and across Galway’s goal mouth with the home side lucky there was no one on hand to turn the ball in.

Galway hit the front in the 25^th minute after a Killian Brouder long throw from the right was flicked on at the near post, the ball fell to David Hurley in a crowded box and he managed to drive a shot at goal, Dennison got a hand to it, but the ball hit the roof of the net.

Another long throw on the half hour mark nearly had United in for another goal when the ball fell to Bastien Hery inside the box, the midfielder took aim, but Dennison was well placed to get down and claim the ball.

Referee Damien MacGraith made a big call in the 38^th minute when Stephen Walsh seemed to have been blatantly tripped by Michael McDonnell deep inside the Longford box, the home faithful let it be known how shocked they were when the official waved the Galway players away.

Dennison pulled off a spectacular save shortly after the break, Walsh beat Ben Lynch with a lovely flick when he received the ball from Hurley, the striker took the ball into the box before squaring it to substitute Mikie Rowe, the goalkeeper made a big dive across goal to deny the midfielder.

The Longford shot stopper was on hand with another reflex save in the 55^th minute when James Finnerty met another Hurley corner kick with his head, Dennison showed great reflexes as he came across goal to flick the ball away.

Conor Kearns was in action at the other end on the hour mark when Dean McMenamy slipped a ball into the box to Aaron Robinson, the Galway goalkeeper denied the midfielder and Conor McCormack followed up to strip the rebound off the foot of Jordan Adeyemo.

Adam Thomas was unlucky not to double Galway’s lead in the 67^th minute, Hurley again doing the honours from a set-piece, this time a free-kick from close to the halfway line. The New Zealander ran on to the long ball and headed on goal with the ball clipping the post and coming back out.

A long ball forward was controlled well by Adeyemo in the 77^th minute, the striker turned expertly in the box to beat his marker and he had the goal at his mercy, but he failed to keep the shot on target as it blazed wide.

He had a shot saved by Kearns five minutes later after some good link up play between himself and substitute Sam Verdon, Adeyemo didn’t get the power he wanted on it and the goalkeeper ultimately got down to make an easy save.

Walsh should have closed out the game in the 89^th minute when Max Hemmings found his head with a great cross, the striker was just a few yards from goal but he could not keep his header down and it nipped over the crossbar.

It didn’t matter as the pair combined once again just a minute later and this time the ball hit the back of the net when Walsh headed the ball back across goal, finding Rowe who fired the ball into the bottom corner from close range to send the home fans wild.

United scored once more, deep in injury time with two substitutes combining as Charlie Lyons managed to get into a dangerous position on the right to play the ball across for Rob Manley to score with a first time shot.

Galway United: Conor Kearns; Killian Brouder, James Finnerty, Max Hemmings, Conor O'Keeffe; Bastien Hery (Mikie Rowe, HT (Ronan Manning, 94)), David Hurley (Rob Manley, 82), Edward McCarthy (Diego Portilla, 94), Conor McCormack; Adam Thomas (Charlie Lyons, 90), Stephen Walsh.

Subs not used: Connal Doran, Wilson Waweru, Manu Dimas.

Booked: Edward McCarthy (28), Adam Thomas (54).

Longford Town: Luke Dennison; Michael Barker, Shane Elworthy, Ben Lynch (Kian Corbally, 56), Aaron Robinson; Darren Clarke (Cristian Magerusan, 85), Mark Hanratty, Michael McDonnell, Dean McMenamy (Sam Verdon, 77); Jordan Adeyemo, Joe Power.

Subs not used: Colm Cox, Dylan Barnett, Matthew Dunne, Matthew O'Brien, Adam Verdon, Karl Chambers,

Booked: Michael Barker (27), Michael McDonnell (51), Luke Dennison (54), Mark Hanratty (56).

Referee: Damien MacGraith.

Attendance: 3,500 (estimate)

extratime.com Player of the Match: David Hurley (Galway United)