- Paul Corcoran
- Sat, Sep 14 2019
Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park
Galway United with a 7-1 scoreline against Cobh Ramblers recorded their largest ever league victory in what was just their third home win in the league this season.
The visitors took the lead through Cian Leonard and led 1-0 at the break but by that stage they were down to ten men. The dismissal of Stephen O’Leary in the 18th minute gave Ramblers a tough task for the rest of the game and United exploited their numerical advantage in the second period.
They went on a rampage with seven unanswered goals in the second half, four goals from Marc Ludden and goals from Stephen Walsh, Conor Barry and Conor Melody had the home fans in raptures as United claimed the three points.
Ramblers had the opening chance of the game when Greg Henry played a perfect pass through the defence to Cian Leonard. He was one-on-one with goalkeeper Kevin Horgan but his effort was not good enough and Horgan smothered the ball on the ground.
In the 17thminute Maurice Nugent broke the challenge of three Cobh players in the centre of the field and carried the ball deep into their half before laying the ball off to Dara Costelloe. The young midfielder beat one defender but blazed the ball wide of the post.
As the half hour mark approached, the away side snatched the lead through Cian Leonard. The ball came in from the left flank and Brouder fell off balance allowing Leonard to take control in front of goal. He made no mistake this time and tapped the ball past the goalkeeper for the lead.
It took just four minutes of play in the second period for Galway to draw level with their visitors.
Marc Ludden played a short throw to Conor Barry in the final third on the left side of the field, the midfielder struck the ball high towards Stephen Walsh and the defender nodded the ball back across the goal and into the net.
It was a quickfire two goals for the home side just five minutes later. The left footed Ludden squibbed a ball into the bottom corner from outside the box, shocking himself, and the onlookers in the stadium.
Two minutes later he nabbed a second. Jack Lynch struck a stunning effort from 30 yards out and nearly broke the crossbar. The ball fell on the goal line and Ludden was first to react to nudge it over the line.
After assisting United’s first goal, Conor Barry got his own name on the scoresheet in the 66thminute. This time Conor Melody put in some great work on the right flank, he brought Lynch in to play and the defender crossed to Barry, who just had to tap it into the net.
Ludden turned to assisting goals in the 77thminute, a long ball up the field from the defender found Melody. The oncoming Paul Hunt was closing down the attacker but Melody camly dinked the ball over the ‘keeper for the fifth goal for the home side.
Ludden sealed his hattrick in the 81stminute with a little freekick routine with Conor Barry. Ludden, obviously gunning for that third goal took aim and smashed the ball into the top right corner.
Right at the death he got a fourth, this time Mark Hannon was the provider from a corner kick routine. He found Ludden just in front of the goal mouth and the on fire defender just tapped the ball into the net.
Galway United: Kevin Horgan; Marc Ludden, Stephen Walsh, Killian Brouder, Jack Lynch (Christopher Horgan 71); Maurice Nugent, Joe Collins (Ivan Gamarra 62), Donal Higgins, Dara Costelloe (Mark Hannon, 65); Conor Barry, Conor Melody.
Subs not used: Cian Mulryan, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Vinny Faherty, Cian Murphy.
Booked: None
Cobh Ramblers: Paul Hunt; Kevin taylor, Charlie Lyons, Jamie O’Sullivan, Charlie Fleming; Mickey Foley (Bryan Murphy 70), Dave Hurley, Greg Henry, Ian Turner (Andrew Cronin 70), Stephen O’Leary; Cian Leonard (Cameron Harlson 54).
Subs not used: Robert Osbourne, James O’Driscoll, Stephen O’Connor, Stephen Lamb.
Booked: Kevin Taylor (58)
Sent off: Stephen O’Leary (18)
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
Attendance: 400 (estimate)
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Marc Ludden (Galway United)
