- Trevor Murray
- Fri, Mar 21 2014
Friday night saw Galway FC and Shamrock Rovers B play out a scoreless draw at Eamonn Deacy Park in a match that had each side eager for a win after both had begun their campaigns with one loss and one draw a-piece.
Ever since Tommy Dunne's appointment was announced, there's been a huge amount of excitement around the city, but it will be important for the fans to remember that his project will take some time to come into its own.
It took a good 15 minutes before either side really came into their own. In truth, there were plenty of talking points throughout as both sides battled it out in cold, damp conditions.
In the opening period, Stephen Walsh had the best chance of the match when he met Ryan Connolly's dangerous corner from the left with an excellently timed volley that bounced off the cross bar. And Walsh would prove somewhat of a nuisance throughout as he became the home side's main outlet.
With that, Shamrock Rovers knew they had gotten off the hook, and they did all they could to cause a bit of an upset with Emeka Onwubiko doing his best to lead the line.
All in all, it was quite a scrappy affair with lots of wayward, misjudged passing, and even though their tenacity made for an intriguing encounter, it's clear that both sides still have lots of work to do.
A prime example of the lack of an effective touch came in the 75th minute as Gary Shanahan attempted to instigate a new assault on Rovers' goal, but his skewed cross, under no real pressure came to nothing.
Before that, Galway's Martin Conneely did his best to fix his feet just before the hour mark in a crowded box after a corner wasn't dealt with by Corie Treacy and company, but he couldn't find the appropriate space to rattle the back of the net.
And later, in the 86th minute, there was further work for Michael Kelly to do in between the sticks for Rovers, and he stood up to the task well by punching away the danger.
Hoops manager Colin Hawkins will be happy with having safely negotiated a decent point away from home. In particular, he'll have been content with how Daniel Purdy performed as he was a constant threat throughout, whenever the away team made a counter-attacking break.
In the 90th minute, with the tie still up for grabs, the Rovers no.7 managed to create some space for himself on the edge of the 18-yard box before unleashing a powerful right-footed effort on the Galway goal. Unfortunately for Hawkins' charges, it was straight at the grateful Conor Gleeson.
It was Galway who had the last chance on the night in the third minute of added time as they continued to push for that all-important goal after Derek O' Brien floated in a last minute cross only for Gary Shanahan to miscue his header.
Galway FC: Conor Gleeson; Colm Horgan, Cian Fadden, Martin Conneely, Marc Ludden; Paul Sinnot, Stephen Walsh, Ryan Manning (Derek O' Brien 58), Marty Owens (Gary Shanahan 62), Ryan Connolly, Jake Keegan (Vinny Faherty 75).
Subs not used: Ger Hanley, Noel Varley, Shane McGinty, Mike Elwood.
Bookings: Ryan Connolly (80)
Shamrock Rovers B: Michael Kelly; Nathan Brown, Sean Heaney, Corie reacy, Evan Osam; Daniel Purdy, Ryan Coombes, Cian Kavanagh (Ryan Doolin 66), Kevin Knight (Mark Sandford 79); Chris Lyons, Emeka Onwubiko (Stephen Confrey 82).
Subs not used: Conor O' Malley, Conor Dunne, Liam Traynor, Jack Watson.
Bookings: Treacy (68).
Referee: Ben Connolly
Attendance: 1,027
Extratime Man of the Match: Stephen Walsh (Galway FC).
