Ollie Horgan hails penalty hero Clarke after Galway earn first points against Shamrock Rovers in 15 years

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

It was back in the inaugural season of Tallaght Stadium that Galway United last avoided defeat to Shamrock Rovers’ first team – that was until last Friday night.

With United boss John Caulfield suspended it was left to his assistant Ollie Horgan to take control of team affairs from the dugout on Friday and to do media duty as United earned a point after a 1-1 draw with the Hoops.

Horgan was happy to laud his goalkeeper Brendan Clarke for the point after the draw but it wasn’t that the keeper had to make a string of saves for the draw. The Hoops had just three shots on target.

Yes, Clarke played a crucial part by pushing away Dylan Watts’ spot kick but Horgan was delighted with how the defence in front of Clarke dug in against the four-in-a-row champions.

“They were outstanding out there,” said Horgan whose team faced 55 crosses from Rovers.

“They blocked crosses they intercepted passes. They headed out set piece after set piece until Johnny Kenny scored (in the 84th minute) from the corner delivered by Dylan Watts and that is the disappointing part. 

“Before the game you'd have taken a draw with open arms. When we rode our luck a little bit with the penalty, you felt we could go on. While we had to sit back in our own half, they never really opened us up at all even with the quality that they have.

"Coming up here and being disappointed you didn't win is certainly a positive, as any time you get a result up here and they are few and far between, you earn it. Look, we will take a draw and we will carry it into Derry next Friday night.”

United have the best defence in the Premier Division, from a dozen games this season they have conceded just seven goals and only two of them were in matches away from home. They have kept a clean sheet in half of those 12 games. Their wins have come against first and second in the table (Shelbourne and Derry City), along with victories over Waterford and Dundalk.

“They are brave, they are organised, they are together,” said Horgan about his squad. “I just think the togetherness of the group is huge and has probably got us the result on Friday night and other results.

“We move on. There is no point in smelling yourself because you beat Shelbourne because you know what’s around the corner when the likes of Derry are coming next Friday night.

Clarke has also become the oldest player in Galway United history to save a penalty in a league match, surpassing Peter Thomas by 105 days. https://t.co/Lc00b1XTsu

— StattoLOI (@StattoLOI) April 26, 2024

“It was a great penalty save,” said Horgan about Clarke’s critical contribution three minutes into the second half when the game was level.

“His kicking was very good. Stephen Walsh’s goal (in the 55th minute) came from one of his deliveries. “But with his high standards and his control of the back four or back three, whatever it may be, is very good.

“Defensively, the amount of crosses we blocked, the amount of tackles we made and headers we won, bar the Kenny one, was excellent.

“The togetherness, the toughness, both mentally and physically, was hugely encouraging.  We had to play on the counter and get the goal from it.

“All in all, while Brendan was very good, he didn’t have that many shots to save.

“Territory wise, Shamrock Rovers were camped in our half throughout the second half.  And though it was very difficult to get out, we got a point and we move on.

“We never get too down or too excited when we win or lose or draw, as in this case.”

Stephen Bradley on his stretched squad mis-firing against Galway: “It looked to me that we had a few players that got really comfortable understanding that the squad is tight at the moment” https://t.co/A1hzW9A68apic.twitter.com/NYuvUbsx8r

— extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) April 28, 2024