Ten-man Galway United scored twice in the last three minutes to snatch a dramatic share of the spoils against stunned Drogheda at United Park tonight.
Derek O’Brien was the Tribesmen’s hero when his speculative drive crept in at the near post, despite keeper Dan Connor getting a hand to the ball.
Stephen O’Flynn was dismissed for the visitors in the 38th minute, and Drogs eventually made the breakthrough when James Keddy found the net after 73 minutes.
Eamon Zayed’s strike after 85 minutes seemed to have sealed victory for the home side but Galway rallied well.
Alan Murphy pulled one back three minutes from time, while O’Brien’s cross shot gave Galway a precious draw.
Ten-man Galway United scored twice in the last three minutes to pull off a sensational result against Premier Division league leaders Drogheda United at United Park.
Derek O’Brien was the Tribesmen’s hero as his cross come shot sneaked past keeper Dan Connor just three minutes after Alan Murphy had dragged the visitors back into the contest.
Tony Cousins, former assistant to Drogheda manager Paul Doolin, brought his Galway side to the Wee County in desperate need of points, sharing second-bottom spot with Waterford United.
For long spells in the first half they made life difficult for the Boynesiders, without ever looking likely to break the deadlock themselves.
Drogheda’s best chance arrived in only the third minute when Gavin Whelan put top scorer Eamon Zayed through on goal, but the former Bray Wanderers striker dragged his shot wide.
Then Tony Grant, making a rare start in place of Sami Ristila, saw his goal-bound shot blocked by the outstretched leg of Alan Keane.
From the resulting corner Zayed missed the target with a header from six yards.
The visitors were defending in numbers and John Lester was next to make a crucial block, this time from Robinson, and keeper Gary Rogers got down low to stop James Keddy’s follow-up shot.
The former Drogheda netminder then saved in similar fashion from Robinson.
Galway’s hopes were dealt a severe blow in the 38th minute when striker Stephen O’Flynn made a two-footed tackle on Byrne and was sent off by referee Declan Hanney.
The Drogs pressed on, and they nearly broke the deadlock in the final minute of the half when Whelan’s initial shot was blocked and his follow-up effort flew narrowly wide of Rogers’ left-hand post.
Galway finally registered a shot at goal moments later when Lester’s 30-yard free kick was deflected just wide of the Drogheda goal, and the ten men almost snatched a priceless lead a minute into the second half.
Derek O’Brien cut inside from the left and shot onto the crossbar, with keeper Dan Connor beaten.
But for long spells in the second half the Tribesmen were content to soak up the pressure, which they did with relative success.
Whelan failed to hit the target with a header from a Robinson corner in the 50th minute and Keddy had a similar effort which failed to trouble Rogers, but those chances apart, Drogheda offered little threat.
Doolin sprung Aidan O’Keeffe and Paul Keegan from the subs bench and made other positional switches, and at last Drogheda began to attack with more conviction.
Robinson saw his long-range shot rise over the crossbar and Rogers was kept busy dealing with a series of crosses, mainly from the right flank.
Galway must have thought it was going to be their night when two of their defenders blocked shots from Zayed and Byrne and then Keegan’s follow-up came back off the crossbar.
The Tribesmen ventured into the Drogheda half momentarily and O’Brien sent a 30-yard shot narrowly wide of Connor’s right-hand post, but moments later Drogheda were in front when Keegan released Shelley and his cross was turned in by Keddy.
Keegan then provided the assist for Zayed to make it 2-0 five minutes from time.
However, Galway sub Alan Murphy pulled one back in the 87th minute when he curled the ball into an empty net after Connor had spilled the ball on the edge of the box.
Galway then stunned the home crowd in the last minute when O’Brien’s cross come shot caught Connor off guard and sneaked in at the near post.
Drogheda United: Connor, Shelley, Gavin, Gartland, Webb, Whelan, Robinson, Byrne, Keddy, Grant, Zayed. Subs: O’Keeffe for Grant 58min, Keegan for Whelan 66min, Tambouras for Byrne 87min.
Galway United: Rogers, Keane, Lester, Fitzgerald, Charles, Robson, Cooke, O’Halloran, O’Brien, Glynn, O’Flynn. Subs: Murphy for Glynn 58min, Fagan for Robson 58min, Faherty for Charles 78min.
Referee: Declan Hanney (Dublin).
