Galway United 4-2 Longford Town
Jake Keegan was the star of the show grabbing a hat-trick as Galway United earned a vital Airtricity League victory over Longford Town at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Keegan started the rout with an 18th-minute goal as Galway departed at the interval armed with a slender lead.
Two more Keegan goals either side of a superb Gary Shanahan strike had Galway four clear, but Longford substitute Dean Kelly replied with two late on for the visitors.
Longford went close in the fourth minute as Galway custodian Conor Winn saved well from Gary Shaw following a David O'Sullivan cross.
With Ryan Connolly providing the midfield subtlety Galway hit the front in the 18th minute courtesy of an opportunistic Keegan strike.
The New York native, who caused Longford problems throughout the contest, connected with an inviting Jason Molloy free-kick.
In the 24th minute a Shanahan flick released Keegan, who had a shot saved by Longford goalkeeper Paul Hunt.
Galway came within a whisker of adding a second on the stroke of half-time, but Enda Curran glanced a Keegan cross narrowly wide.
Five minutes after the restart Longford spurned a gilt-edged chance to equalise when O'Sullivan dragged a shot wide.
Keegan pounced for a second Galway goal in the 61st minute when expertly heading home a precise Connolly free-kick.
Now dominant Galway struck a third in the 67th minute as Shanahan thumped a powerful shot into the roof of the Longford net.
Man of the match Keegan completed his hat-trick with 20 minutes to go following a sharp assist from skipper Paul Sinnott.
Longford substitute Dean Kelly trimmed the deficit with a 76th-minute goal and also converted a penalty in the last minute following a controversial off-the-ball incident.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Samuel Oji, Killian Cantwell, Marc Ludden (Stephen Walsh, 81); Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnott, Ryan Connolly (Tomi Saarelma, 89), Jason Molloy (David O’Leary, 64); Jake Keegan, Enda Curran.
Longford Town: Paul Hunt; Pat Sullivan, Rhys Gorman, Mark Rossiter, Conor Powell; Mark Salmon (Ayman Ben Mohamed, 68), Philip Gannon, Kevin O’Connor, Lorcan Shannon; Gary Shaw (Kaleem Simon, 76), David O’Sullivan (Dean Kelly, 58).
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).
