Dundalk 0 - 0 Galway United

• Emmet Maloney
• Fri, May 14 2010


A poor game at Oriel ended goalless as a hard working and organised Galway United claimed a deserved point from the match. Clear-cut chances were in scarce supply and it would have been harsh on either team to lose. It can’t be often that a team go to the top of the league and barely get applauded from the park. That spoke volumes for the spectacle on show here.

Galway opened the brighter and generally had the better of the first half, although they struggled to turn their greater possession in midfield into anything tangible in front of goal.

Anto Flood spurned a great chance on 24 minutes when a corner from Cian McBrien gave Gary Curran a shooting chance. It was blocked but the loose ball fell to Flood eight yards out who snatched at his effort and sent it over the bar. He also had a decent chance on 40 minutes as he turned Kelly to leave himself a shooting chance from a narrow angle on the left side of the goal. His shot was turned away by Peter Cherrie which resulted in a corner.

Dundalk had to survive on half chances and didn’t produce anything clear-cut. Opportunities for Faz Kudozovic, Neale Fenn and Ross Gaynor brought no joy. JJ Melligan had the best chance for the Lilywhites when a Gaynor cross from the left gave him a header, but it drifted just wide from ten yards.

Home fans would have been hoping that their team showed more appetite in the second period but it never really worked out that way as they continued to look disjointed and missed the bite of the suspended Stephen Maher.

A Wayne Hatswell cross from the left in the 62nd minute was as close as Dundalk came when it just flashed in front of the inrushing JJ Melligan and away to safety.

Galway could have stolen a winner on 76 minutes as a corner was cleared to Bobby Ryan who hit a first time effort well held by Cherrie at the foot of the post. The following minute Flood battled with Garry Breen into the home box and as he was going to pull the trigger he collapsed with cramp.

The game meandered on with very little excitement and it came as some relief when the final whistle was blown. Dundalk host Sligo next weekend whilst Galway host UCD, both will be hoping for a better display than tonight .

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Shaun Kelly, Garry Breen, Liam Burns, Wayne Hatswell; Tom Miller, Alan Cawley (Michael McGowan 68), JJ Melligan; Fahrudin Kudozovic, Neale Fenn (Tiarnan Mulvenna 84), Ross Gaynor.
Subs not used: Matt Gregg, Ciaran McGuigan, Johnny Breen,

Galway United: Barry Ryan; Seamus Conneely (Thomas Heary 53), Paul Sinnott, Jamie McKenzie, Rhys Meynell ; Bobby Ryan, Gary Curran, Ciaran Foley, Cian McBrien (James Creaney 71); Anto Flood (Jonathan Keane 86), Karl Sheppard.
Subs not used: Jason Molloy, Tom King

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ciaran Foley.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer

Attendance: 1500 (estimate).