Bohemians 1 Galway United 1
Bohemians’ Dinny Corcoran was on the scoresheet again at Dalymount Park in a one-all draw as ten-man Galway United continue their search for a first win of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Divison season.
In difficult conditions of driving wind and rain, the sides swapped goals in the first half with Corcoran heading Bohemians in front early on before Galway hit back with a free kick from Ronan Murray just before the interval.
While Bohemians had the luxury of naming an unchanged starting XI for the third match running, Galway made two changes from their narrow defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Monday night as left winger Kevin Devaney and striker Vinny Faherty came into Shane Keegan’s side for the injured Gavan Holohan and Padraic Cunningham.
And it was the Tribesmen who started well, working Shane Supple as early as the second minute as the Bohemians’ goalkeeper pushed Ronan Murray’s stinging dive out for a corner.
Despite playing against the strong wind, the visitors troubled Bohemians again seven minutes later. Devaney’s deep cross from the left was nodded down by Gary Shanahan and Murray’s shot on the turn had just too much air on it as it flew over the bar.
Galway’s bright start counted for nothing, though, as Bohemians took the lead against the run of play from their second corner of the game on 16 minutes.
It was all about the delivery from Lorcan Fitzgerald as his wind-assisted ball in was flicked to the net off the head of in-form striker Corcoran for his fifth goal of the season.
Bohemians had the strong breeze in their sails now with Jamie Doyle bursting through onto a loose ball from midfield to power a shot not too far wide of Conor Winn’s right-hand post on 28 minutes.
Another Fitzgerald corner on 36 minutes then almost saw Bohemians double their lead. This time it arrived in at the back post where Dan Byrne’s scrambled effort came back off the post.
But four minutes later Galway were level. Supple received a yellow card for a foul on Murray just outside his area. Murray provided further punishment as his free kick was hammered low through a defender’s legs to the far corner of the net.
Despite the wind at their backs, Galway struggled to create chances throughout a dour second half.
And they were then reduced to 10 men on 69 minutes. Booked for an earlier foul on Georgie Poynton, Galway midfielder Alex Byrne was dismissed for a repeat offence in taking down Fitzgerald.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender (Dylan Hayes 60), Rob Cornwall, Dan Byrne, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Paddy Kavanagh, Georgie Poynton (Oscar Brennan 71), Ian Morris, Keith Ward; Dinny Corcoran (Kaleem Simon h-t), Jamie Doyle.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden; Alex Byrne, David Cawley; Gary Shanahan, Ronan Murray, Kevin Devaney (Jesse Devers 78); Vinny Faherty (Conor Melody 73).
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
