- Paul Corcoran
- Fri, Jul 19 2024
Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park
Galway United are into the next round of the FAI Cup after a resounding 6-0 win over Longford Town at Eamonn Deacy Park.
The visitors were no match for the Tribesmen as Francely Lomboto, Maurice Nugent, David Hurley, Jimmy Keohane and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe all scored for John Caulfield’s men, with the sixth goal an own goal.
Both sides rang the changes for this second round FAI Cup fixture. John Caulfield made four changes from their 1-0 win over Waterford last weekend – Colm Horgan, Bobby Burns, Francely Lomboto and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe all came into the starting team in place of Rob Slevin, Ed McCarthy, Jeannot Esua and Stephen Walsh.
Wayne Groves made six changes after his side’s 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Athlone Town. Adam Wixted, Emmanuel James, Emre Topcu, Carl Lennox and Francis Campbell all started in place of Ross Fay, Jordan Adeyemo, Daniel Norris, Karl Chambers and Bastien Hery. Jack McCarthy started in goal in place of Jack Brady who departed for the Tribesmen during the week.
As expected, the home side started the stronger with Maurice Nugent and Jimmy Keohane both drawing saves from McCarthy in the Longford goal early on, with Patrick Hickey nodding the ball over in the eighth minute.
That pressure paid off and in the 11th minute Francely Lomboto put the Tribesmen in front when he received the ball from Hickey in the box. He held the ball well under pressure before rifling his shot into the top corner.
United doubled their lead just two minutes later when Nugent met the ball from a Conor McCormack corner-kick right on the goal line, the Longford defence tried to clear the ball, but the final touch came off the Galway midfielder and went into the net.
The onslaught was mercifully paused for Longford when the ground staff in Deacy Park had trouble with a corner flag that refused to remain standing – referee David Dunne stalling the game for several minutes until it was fixed.
The misery continued in the 25th minute however when a McCormack corner was bundled into the net by Eric Yoro for an own goal.
It was a relatively quiet run into half time with the home side creating just a couple of half chances as Garry Buckley and Keohane went close.
Later, Hickey had two chances to add to the goal tally when Lomboto floated a cross into the box, but the midfielder sent his header just over the bar, he was denied from close range when he was played in on goal at the stroke of half time when the ball was played in expertly to the American.
The Tribesmen had the ball in the net again in the 50th minute with Junior having the last touch after Lomboto nodded on substitute David Hurley’s cross – the assistant referee had his flag up very quickly as the striker had moved too quickly and was offside.
United had the ball in the net once again on the hour mark. Hickey was dragged down in the box with referee David Dunne pointing to the penalty spot immediately and Hurley stepped up to stroke home his second goal of the season with a strong shot into the right corner.
The home side made it five in the 67th minute with a lighting quick Galway break, Junior raced through the final third, the striker unselfishly squared the ball to Keohane who placed the ball into the goal for his first ever goal in a Galway shirt.
A second player got their first goal for the Tribesmen in the 87th minute when Vince Borden took the ball down the right flank before playing the ball into Junior’s path, the striker’s hard work all night paying off when his flicked shot found the bottom corner for Galway United’s sixth goal.
Galway United go into the for the next round with the draw scheduled for next Tuesday, 23 July.
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Killian Brouder (Robert Slevin 46), Garry Buckley, Bobby Burns, Colm Horgan; Patrick Hickey (Vincent Borden 61), Jimmy Keohane (Conor O'Keeffe 70), Francely Lomboto, Conor McCormack (David Hurley 29), Maurice Nugent (Kyle Fitzgerald 61); Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe.
Subs not used: Jack Brady, Jeannot Esua, Edward McCarthy, Karl O’Sullivan.
Booked: Conor McCormack (21), Bobby Burns (88).
Longford Town: Jack McCarthy; Shane Elworthy, Carl Lennox, Kyle O'Connor, Dean O'Shea (Bastien Héry 56); Francis Campbell (Chris Lotefa 81), Viktor Serdeniuk, Emre Topcu (Karl Chambers 56), Adam Wixted (Ross Fay 69), Eric Yoro; Emmanuel James (Jordan Adeyemo 69).
Subs not used: Cillian Campion Wigglesworth, Ryan Boyle, Mohamed Boudiaf, Daniel Norris.
Booked: None.
Referee: David Dunne.
Attendance: 1,000 (estimate)
extratime.com Player of the Match: Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe (Galway United)
