Galway register victory in Station Road
Saturday, 22 April 2006 22:57Galway United secured their second victory of the season after a spectacular first-half strike from David Cooke had set them on their way to a 2-0 victory in the eircom League First Division.
With six minutes left before the break, Alan Murphy cleverly let Derek O'Brien's pass roll through his legs, this gave Cooke the space that he needed and his 20 yard drive gave Brendan Kennedy no chance.
That goal was the least that Galway deserved after a commanding first half performance. Indeed, they should have been ahead after 25 minutes, Alan Murphy's corner picked out Barry Moran but Kennedy brought off a fine save from the Galway striker's header.
Kildare improved in the early stages of the second half and Derek Delaney fired a free kick just over the bar before Stephen Cooling missed a glorious chance to level the match. Dave Scully somehow squirmed his way through the Galway defence before pulling the ball back to Cooling but his shot was just over the bar.
However with Alan Murphy impressing in the centre of midfield, Galway made Kildare pay for those missed chances just after the hour mark. Derek O'Brien was too clever for Alan Byrne and when Byrne hauled him down inside the box, the referee had no option but to award a penalty.
O'Brien took the kick himself but Kennedy made an excellent save, however, Ciaran Foley reacted quickest and he volleyed the rebound past Kennedy.
Alan Byrne went close late on for Kildare but in truth, they didn't deserve anything from the game after a disappointing performance.
Kildare County: Kennedy, O'Meara, Clancy, Gibbs, Reilly, A Byrne, McCrossan, Cooling, McKenna (Scully HT), Delaney, Mulcahy (Morgan 70).
Galway Utd: Gough, Cretaro, Reilly, Carter, Frawley, Foley, Cooke, Murphy, Moran (Rojas 88), O'Dowd (Gavin 83), O'Brien.
Referee: T Kelly (Westmeath).
