- Paul Corcoran
- Fri, Jul 14 2023
Galway United extended their lead at the top of the First Division table to 16 points with a 1-0 win over Athlone Town on Friday night.
David Hurley scored the only goal of the game at Lissywollen to give United their sixth win in seven games.
The home side went close in the opening minute when Franz Pierrot got on the end of a poor clearance by Galway’s Ed McCarthy – Brendan Clarke did well to make a fingertip save with a dive across goal.
Athlone broke away in the eleventh minute with Jamar Campion-Hinds drilling a low cross into the box, Pierrot got a foot to it, but the striker was off balance and the ball went out over the crossbar.
Patrick Hickey pulled off a goal line clearance in the 13th minute when Enda Minogue failed to claim the ball in his box, spilling it to David Hurley. Hurley tried to lob the ball in a crowded box, but Hickey acted quickly to head the ball away.
United should have hit the front in the 18th minute when a dangerous corner-kick from Conor McCormack fell to Vincent Borden in the box, the American swung at the ball but failed to make a good connection and the chance came to nothing.
Campion-Hinds cut across goal from the right wing in the 22nd minute before blasting a shot on goal but again Clarke got a hand to the ball to put it behind.
Borden got down the wing in the 35th minute and drilled a cross into the box, Hurley met it but his effort bobbled and ended up in the arms of Minogue.
Minogue pulled off an excellent double save near the end of the first half – he denied Stephen Walsh when he headed a corner-kick from Hurley, Killian Brouder followed up with the rebound, but the goalkeeper again came to Athlone Town’s rescue.
United were in twice in the opening ten minutes of the second half, Hurley drawing a save after a neat pass from Oisin O’Reilly and then Borden trying to flick the ball over the goalkeeper, but Minogue denied the visitors on both occasions.
Maurice Nugent had a close range header saved by Minogue in the 67th minute when Ronan Manning floated a cross into the box.
The visitors managed to finally break the deadlock in the 85th minute when McCarthy floated a ball into the box – Hurley managed to find enough space for himself in the box to place the ball out of Minogue’s reach with his head.
Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; Haji Abdikadir, Patrick Hickey, Jack Kavanagh (Valerij Dolia 88), Noah van Geenan; Jamar Campion-Hinds, Aaron Connolly, Matthew Leal, Daniel McKenna, Michael Peprah (Nehemie Lamtoukou 82); Frantz Pierrot.
Subs not used: Vladislav Velikin, Donal Curtin, Matthew Baker, Nazar Zubkov, Matthew McCarrick, Josh McGlone, Oisin Duffy.
Booked: Frantz Pierrot (90).
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Killian Brouder, Maurice Nugent, Conor O'Keeffe, Oisin O'Reilly (Regan Donelon 78); Vincent Borden, David Hurley, Ronan Manning (Francely Lomboto 71), Edward McCarthy (Aodh Dervin 88), Conor McCormack; Stephen Walsh (Wassim Aouachria 78).
Subs not used: Kieran McDonagh, Evan O'Connor, Rob Slevin, Rob Manley.
Booked: Oisin O'Reilly (76), Conor McCormack (90).
Referee: Paul Norton.
Attendance: 1,257
extratime.com Player of the Match: Enda Minogue (Athlone Town)
