- Paul Corcoran
- Fri, May 14 2021
Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park
There was a collective sigh of relief at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night as Galway United won their first home game of the season when they ran out 1-0 winners over Wexford.
United left it late and it took a bit of magic from David Hurley deep into injury time to give the Tribesmen the victory.
Wexford performed admirably and the interim management team looked set to arrest the club’s run of losses in the First Division but unfortunately they have now lost all eight of their games in the 2021 campaign.
The Tribesmen hit the post twice in the 16th minute after Carlton Ubaezuonu played a good cross into the Wexford box. Padraic Cunningham got his head to the ball after a Wexford defender’s attempted clearance sent the ball skyward.
The striker’s effort nicked the right post before coming back to Gary Boylan, the defender settled well and sent a shot towards goal but only found the outside of the left post.
Galway had a goal disallowed three minutes later after Ruairi Keating nodded the ball into the path of Padraic Cunningham. The striker struck the snapshot well, and into the back of the net but the assistant referee’s flag was up immediately as he had strayed offside.
The visitors got their first shot on goal in the 32nd minute when Conor Crowley booted a long ball across the field to Luke Turner.
Turner headed the ball across goal where Jack Doherty was waiting inside the box. The forward shot hard but Conor Kearns got down well to make the save for Galway.
Minutes later Keating broke away into the Wexford half and after some great work he laid the ball off for his striking partner, Cunningham.
Cunningham fancied his chances from outside the box and he sent a good effort goalward, drawing a diving save from Jimmy Corcoran.
Just before halftime Corcoran pulled off another great save after Conor McCormack delivered an excellent ball into the box from a free-kick.
Stephen Walsh won the header in the crowded Wexford box and Corcoran pulled off the great save to keep the ball from nestling in then top corner of the net.
Galway had the first effort on target in the second half when Boylan took a shot from outside the box in the 53rd minute after second half substitute Mikey Place won the ball in the right corner of the field.
Boylan was being held outside the box by Charlie Smith and the Galway player’s effort was too tame to give Corcoran too much trouble.
Wexford came very close to snatching a goal in the 78th minute after some confusion in the Galway box caused by a dangerous cross from the visitors.
Kearns appeared to call for the ball and he was coming to claim it but the goalkeeper hesitated and allowed the onrushing Karl Fitzsimons to get in and flick at the ball but the effort bounced wide of the goal.
Corcoran was called into action in the 84th minute again, this time it was as shot from the boot of McCormack who spotted a gap from long distance and let fly.
The goalkeeper blocked the rasping shot down before smothering it although United could have capitalised had they reacted quickly enough.
The Tribesmen snuck a last minute winner when McCormack played the ball out to second half substitute David Hurley on the left wing.
Hurley decided to turn the game on its head and went on a run, beating a defender and taking the ball inside the box before rifling a shot past Corcoran into the top right corner for Galway’s first home win since last September.
Galway United: Conor Kearns; Gary Boylan, Killian Brouder, Carlton Ubaezuonu (Colin Kelly 81), Stephen Walsh; Shane Duggan, Conor McCormack (c), Ruairi Keating, Maurice Nugent, Mikie Rowe (Mikey Place 46); Padraic Cunningham (Wilson Waweru 71).
Subs not used: Stephen Christopher, Christopher Horgan, Kevin Horgan, Caoilfhionn O'Dea.
Booked: Carlton Ubaezuonu (21), Stephen Walsh (55), Mikey Place (90).
Wexford: Jimmy Corcoran; James Carroll, Kevin McEvoy, Alex O'Hanlon, Charlie Smith (Harry Groome 64); Jack Doherty, Conor Crowley, Jack Connolly (Anthony Dolan 69), Karl Fitzsimons (Evan Farrell 86), Luke Turner; Karl Manahan (c).
Subs not used: Jack Larkin, Sean Martin, Ayman Yousif.
Booked: Jack Doherty (48) Karl Manahan (88).
Referee: Robert Dowling
Attendance: 0
ExtraTime.com Player of the Match: Gary Boylan (Galway United)
