By Jason Byrne
Galway 5-3 Bohemians
Galway United made it back-to-back wins in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as a flurry of goals in each half saw them overcome Bohemians 5-3 at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday evening in a pulsating clash.
Jake Keegan’s looping header gave Galway the lead before Patrick Kavanagh levelled in style soon afterwards.
Enda Curran then converted from the spot to edge United in front once again before Padraic Cunningham extended their lead when he took full advantage of slack Gypsies defending.
A Dean Kelly goal before the break kept Bohemians in touch, but the second half was a more measure, tactical affair.
Ryan Connolly and Adam Evans scored cracking late goals at either end before a second Curran penalty sealed the points after Bohs keeper Dean Delany was sent off.
In a thrilling first half, both sides started brightly, with the hosts on the crest of a wave from their fine away win at Derry a week beforehand.
Young striker Padraic Cunningham was the first to have a go at Dean Delany’s goal early on but the Bohs stopper held firm.
United hit the front in the 12th minute when they took a quick free-kick and Stephen Walsh picked out American winger Jake Keegan, whose looping header beat Delany.
However, their lead lasted only four minutes as the Gypsies levelled out of nothing. A breaking ball from a corner fell to Patrick Kavanagh and he smashed the ball into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Walsh headed wide at the other end before the hosts won a penalty when Anto Murphy upended Kevin Garcia in the box and striker Enda Curran made no mistake from 12 yards to make it 2-1 to Tommy Dunne’s men.
As the half-hour mark drew closer, United went further in front when disaster struck for Bohs defender Derek Prendergast, as Cunnigham stole the ball off to him and tore clear before firing past Delany to make it 3-1.
Bohs were looking shaky at the back but didn’t let their heads drop as an Anto Murphy shot across goal clipped the bar before they won a penalty of their own to hand them a lifeline.
Ryan Connolly’s uncharacteristic clumsy challenge on Roberto Lopes was a certain spot-kick, which Dean Kelly slammed past Conor Gleeson eight minutes before the break to complete a cracking first half.
After the restart, the game lost its flow a bit, with United evidently more wary of Bohs threat in light of Kelly’s penalty.
Manager Keith Long introduced David Mulcahy, Jason Byrne and Marc Griffin.
On the hour mark United almost made it 4-2 when Keegan sprinted up the right flank and his low cross was almost turned into his own net by Bohs skipper Lopes.
A rasping effort from Connolly was deflected over and from the resulting corner Stephen Walsh should have made it 4-2 when he fired over the bar just yards from goal.
However, in the 82nd minute Galway did make it 4-2 when a sweeping counter-attack saw Cunningham break free again and release Connolly with a lovely lay-off from which the midfielder made no mistake from.
But Bohs were not finished, as a defensive mix-up saw Adam Evans break free and fire into the bottom corner before Delany was sent off late on for upending Cunnigham as Curran slotted the resulting spot-kick past makeshift keeper Anto Murphy.
Galway United: Conor Gleeson; Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Stephen Walsh, Cormac Raftery; Jake Keegan, David O’Leary, Ryan Connolly, Kevin Garcia (Gary Shanahan 72); Enda Curran, Padraic Cunningham.
Subs not used: Conor Winn, Jason Molloy, Marc Ludden, Conor Barry, Sam Oji, Antaine O’Laoi.
Bohemians: Dean Delany; Lorcan Fitzgerald, Derek Prendergast (David Mulcahy 55), Anto Murphy, Dylan Hayes; Keith Buckley, Roberto Lopes, Robbie Creevy (Jason Byrne 59), Patrick Kavanagh; Dean Kelly (Marc Griffin 71), Adam Evans.
Subs not used: Karl Moore, Kealon Dillon, James O’Brien, Lee Stacey.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork)
