By Keith Kelly
Galway United 1-0 Bohemians
Galway United made it three wins from five in Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday afternoon to continue their impressive start to the season, and at the same time put just a little bit more pressure on visitors Bohemians.
Vinny Faherty struck for the only goal of the game 12 minutes from time to send the Tribesmen up to the lofty heights of second in the table and condemn Keith Long’s visitors to a third defeat in their first five games.
It was a difficult afternoon for football. The swirling wind played havoc with any attempts to play a fluid passing game and, as a result, chances were at a premium for both sides.
United thought they had taken the lead in the seventh minute when Ryan Connolly’s corner was directed goalwards by Kilian Cantwell.
Though the ball look destined for the net, Padraic Cunningham made sure with a final touch. Unfortunately for the home side, he did so from an offside position, and the goal was disallowed.
Bohs looked the more dangerous of the two sides early on but the closest they came to a goal in that stop-start opening 45 minutes was when Lorcan Fitzgerald’s corner got caught in the wind and hit the near post.
Ayman Ben Mohamed - the best player on the pitch - did have a couple of shots on target in the first-half, but they were nothing more than routine saves for Conor Winn in the United goal.
At the other end, Connolly went close with a right-footed strike from outside the box midway through the half.
Bohs ’keeper Dean Delany denied Vinny Faherty in the 50th minute with a flying save and the visitors had another let-off 13 minutes later when Faherty’s ball towards the unmarked Cunningham struck the arm of Anto Murphy. Referee Ray Matthews waved away the loud penalty appeals.
The wind continued to disrupt play and Bohs were almost made to pay in the 74th minute when the flight of the ball caught out Delany as he came to claim a Connolly free-kick. It fell for Faherty, who turned and shot, but Daniel Byrne was in the perfect position to clear off the line.
The United striker wasn’t to be denied for long, however, and he struck in the 78th minute for his third league goal of the season.
Hisstrike partner, Cunningham, won possession on the left, and his ball into the box was met by a sliding Faherty, who made enough contact to divert the ball past Delany.
The visitors had only one sight of goal for an equaliser, Fitzgerald’s injury-time run taking him past three United defenders before his shot from a narrow angle went into the side netting.
Galway United: Winn; Horgan, Sinnott, Cantwell, Walsh; Shanahan, Sullivan, Connolly, Devaney (inj, Melody 77); Cunningham, Faherty (Keating 90).
Bohemian FC: Delany; Pender, D Byrne, Murphy, Fitzgerald; P Kavanagh, Mulcahy (Buckley 88), Lopes, Ben Mohammed; K Byrne, Quigley (Akinade 81).
Referee: Ray Matthews (Midlands)
