Galway United 3 - 4 UCD

UCD extended their advantage over lowly Galway United to thirteen points after coming away from an entertaining affair at Terryland Park with maximum reward.

The record books will display a UCD win, but all in Terryland Park on Friday evening will know how lucky the Students were to come away with the spoils. Two goals from Graham Rusk sandwiched between a Dean Marshall penalty and a Cillian Morrison strike saw UCD over the line, just. Two Alan Murphy goals, one a penalty, and a Bobby Ryan header had the Students sweating at the final whistle.

This game sprung into life after only nine minutes when Darren Meenan went down in the box as Dean Marshall’s cross came into the box. Referee Neil Doyle wasted no time in pointing to the spot amid ferocious protestations from the Galway support. Marshall stepped up and sent Greg Fleming in the Galway goal the wrong way. It looked ominous for Galway who had conceded 21 goals in their previous five encounters but, rather than shy from the challenge, the home side were stirred into life.

Six minutes later the sides were level when Murphy pounced in the area to net from only four yards. Bobby Ryan did well down the right and found his way into the box, his pull back was stepped over by Paul Sinnott before Ronan Cauldwell pulled the trigger. The young striker’s effort was saved brilliantly by Ger Barron in the Student’s goal but his parry fell to Karl Moore who shot instantly into the path of Murphy who turned the ball home.

UCD were playing the better football but Galway’s tenacity was commendable,and spoke volumes about the pride of the players who have seen their efforts go without pay in recent weeks. That said, the quality of the UCD play on bore dividends as they opened a two goal lead courtesy of Rusk.

On 29 minutes Fleming charged out to meet Marshall's corner but he only directed the ball towards his own goal where Rusk was waiting to bundle home and send the visitors back into the lead. The striker soon doubled that lead with a well taken goal five minutes later.

As Robbie Benson bore down on goal, he looked to have run out of pitch space but did well to cut back for Rusk, cutting out Fleming in the process. Rusk angled his body and finished with the ball coming to him at an awkward height. Again the signs directed towards an implosion in the Galway ranks but again they replied in the best possible way.

After Murphy and Gary Kelly had both gone close with powerful drives for the hosts, Bobby Ryan pulled one back before the halftime interval. Karl Moore, the best attacking player on the Galway side broke down the left and delivered a good cross for Ryan to meet. The midfielder dived bravely to the ball to head home. Barron got a touch but couldn't keep the ball from the net and the sides went into the dressing rooms with just one goal between them.

Galway came out for the second half in determined mood and set about finding the equaliser. Gary Kelly tried from distance without troubling Barron in the UCD goal, but when the ball sat up for Bobby Ryan 30 yards out the Student’s keeper had to be at his best, tipping over for the corner. Sinnott too attempted to equalise from distance when Barron was lucky to see it clear his post as he stood motionless.

But the breakthrough never came and UCD began to threaten on the break. Rusk dispossessed Moore in the UCD half and, after being held up at the eighteen yard line he shot, searching for his hat trick, but Fleming was well positioned to collect the ball. It was a warning that Galway could ill afford to heed, however, as they needed to equalise and UCD substitute Cillian Morrison soon capitalised.

Another break saw Morrison bear down on goal without a challenge. When Fleming came to meet him, Morrison clipped the ball over the big Scotsman who got a touch but couldn't stop the ball from nestling in the net.

With only ten minutes remaining one could have been forgiven for thinking the contest was over but the hosts responded to adversity almost immediately with a third to keep the pressure up until the final minutes.

Mikey Gilmore, who arrived on the pitch in place of Cauldwell, was instantly in the thick of it and forced a penalty for what looked like a hand ball off defender, David O'Connor. Murphy stepped up and drilled home to the roof of the net, again putting the minimum gap between the sides with just eight minutes of normal time remaining.

As the clock ticked down Galway applied plenty of pressure but still left themselves open on the break. Morrison could have got a second as he again went for the jugular, but this time he shot high and wide from the edge of the area. Gilmore threatened to get the equaliser with the final effort of the game but Barron reacted quicker to a loose ball and punched clear to the sound of the final whistle.

UCD now go thirteen points clear of Galway in bottom place. The financially troubled club have shown good character in testing times but have again come up short.

Galway United: Greg Fleming; Evan Preston Kelly, Shaun Maher, Stephen Walsh, Gary Kelly; Bobby Ryan, Paul Sinnott (Eduardo Dusi, 67), Gary Curran, Karl Moore; Alan Murphy, Ronan Cauldwell (Mikey Gilmore, 80).
Subs Not Used: Conor Winn, Darragh Duggan, Eric Holland, Rory Gartlan.

Bookings: G Kelly (11), Walsh (35), Maher (86), Murphy (86).

UCD: Ger Barron; David O'Connor, Sean Russell (Tomas Boyle, 72), Mick Leahy, Ciaran Nangle; Robbie Benson (Daniel Ledwith, 45), Paul Corry (Cillian Morrison, 56) , Dean Marshall, Paul O'Connor, Darren Meenan; Graham Rusk.
Subs Not Used: Mark McGinley, Stephen Doyle, Mark Langtry, Eoin Roche.

Bookings: Marshall (39), Rusk (86).

Referee: Neil Doyle.

Attendance: 548
Extratime Man of the Match: Graham Rusk’s goals were decisive and he was a threat all evening.