Dundalk 3 - 0 Galway United

• Emmet Maloney
• Fri, Oct 01 2010


A Faz Kudozovic second half hat track saw Dundalk take all three points from this clash with Galway. Sean Connor would have been happy to reach half time at 0-0 but they were breached after just 30 seconds of the second half and Dundalk took control. Further goals followed on 70 and 88 minutes for the hard working striker as Dundalk turned the screw on their relegation threatened rivals.

The first half was a tight affair as neither side settled into a decent rhythm and struggled to open up their opponents. Tipton had a flick headed effort just wide after eight minutes from a Danny Kearns free. On 19 minutes Dean Bennett almost opened the scoring as neat work from Kearns and Faz set him up to drive from 25 yards but his powerful effort drifted just wide of the post.

Dundalk again threatened on 33 minutes as a trio of goal bound efforts were blocked within 8 yards of the goal line. Matthew Tipton then forced Daragh Geraghty into a fine low save as he was allowed to bring the ball down and turn 10 yards from goal. On 44 minutes Dundalk came even closer to opening the scoring as Hatswell connected powerfully with a header from a Kearns corner but the ball came back off of the bar and was eventually cleared.

In response Galway threatened just once in the first half as Karl Sheppard got to a cross before Peter Cherrie but his header just dribbled past the far post and out on 42 minutes.

The second half opened in spectacular fashion for the home team as they went ahead within 30 seconds. A Tom Miller long throw from the right hand sideline was allowed to bounce in the Galway 6 yard box allowing Faz to turn it home for one of the easiest goals he will ever score. Sean Kelly had a convincing shout for a penalty turned down as he cut in along the left hand goal line on 57 minutes but ref Doyle was having none of it.

The Lilywhites came close again on 62 as Faz laid the ball off to Ross Gaynor whose shot across goal was tipped wide by Geraghty in the Galway net. The second goal arrived for the home team on 70 minutes as a high ball into the box was touched on by Tipton to Gaynor and Kudozovic who had just Rhys Meynell for company. Gaynor won the knock down and Faz again finished with no fuss from within the 6 yard box.

Galway almost opened their account on 76 as a well struck effort from Tom King was turned away at full stretch by Cherrie. However the game was put to bed after 88 minutes when Kearns sent sub Steven Lennon free in to the inside right channel, he waited an eternity before pulling back to Faz around the penalty spot who controlled and slotted to the corner for his first ever senior hat trick.

Sean Connors boys will face a crucial game against UCD next Saturday and their survival may well depend upon picking up points from that game. A far happier Dundalk team will face Sligo next up with hopes high of climbing the league to try to get a fourth or fifth place finish.

Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 1900.

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Simon Madden, Liam Burns (Sean Kelly 35), Garry Breen, Wayne Hatswell; Daniel Kearns, Tom Miller, Dean Bennett (Stephen Maher 66), Ross Gaynor; Matthew Tipton (Steven Lennon 82), Fahrudin Kudozovic.
Subs not used: Paul Murphy, Stephen McDonnell

Galway United: Darragh Geraghty; Stephen Walsh, Rhys Meynell, Paul Sinnott, Tom King (Ger Cheevers 87); Jonathan Keane, Gary Curran, Stephen O’Donnell, Derek O’Brien; Jason Molloy (Evan Preston Kelly 66), Karl Sheppard.
Subs not used: Conor Winn, David Sheppard, Shane Keogh

extratime.ie Man of the Match: Faz Kudozovic, workrate and finishing.