Ten-man Derry City came back to defeat Galway United 2-1 at Eamonn Deacy Park courtesy of a late match-winning goal from substitute Adam O'Reilly.
Both teams arrived at Terryland in search of a much-needed three points, and it was the visitors who left it late to get the better of Galway United on a damp and dull evening in the west.
Early in the contest, the Candystripes tried to gain a grasp of proceedings, while John Caulfield’s side searched for chances on the counter-attack.
The first opportunity of the game came the way of City’s Mark Connolly, who got on the end of a Michael Duffy corner, but his header went well wide of the target.
While Tiernan Lynch’s outfit looked like they had the upper hand, it was the Tribesmen who broke the deadlock thanks to a moment of brilliance in the 17th minute.
Following a neat bit of play up the pitch, wing back Bobby Burns found Jimmy Keohane in the box, as the latter demonstrated composure to control the ball, before arrowing a perfectly placed effort into the top corner to put the home side in front.
The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, who was in attendance for the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division clash, would have enjoyed the view of the superb strike from the main stand.
The contest came alive following the opener, as David Hurley, making his 147th consecutive United appearance, first tested Brian Maher, before two major chances were manufactured at the other end of the pitch.
The first, from a set-piece, saw a close-range Dipo Akinyemi header stopped by Garry Buckley on the line, with Brendan Clarke saving the follow-up. Shortly after, the United shot-stopper had to be sharp once again to prevent another goal-bound effort.
Just before the break, United’s battling backline was eventually beaten, as the Cadystripes’ pressure eventually paid off in the 43rd minute.
The alert Akinyemi wasn’t to be stopped this time around, as the striker got on the end of a Brandon Fleming knock-down, before finding the net for his second goal for the club since joining last month.
At the start of the second period, Patrick Hickey had a glorious opportunity to put the Tribesmen back in front, but his free header at the back post, teed up by the impressive Rob Slevin, was misjudged and put over the crossbar.
The remainder of the game was an evenly contested match-up, as both teams struggled to create many meaningful chances in front of goal.
That was until five minutes to go. Following a second booking to City’s Jamie Stott, resulting in a red card, openings began to appear.
United pushed men forward in search of a winner, as Keohane made Maher work with a long-range strike, before a killer blow arrived at the other end of the pitch in the 93rd minute.
Through a City counter-attack, Akinyemi got in behind United’s defence and demonstrated composure to find an on-rushing O’Reilly, who put the ball beyond Clarke and sent the away end into a frenzy.
United tried to claw the game back, as Killian Brouder cannoned an effort off the crossbar just before the final whistle, but it was the ten men of Derry who held out for an important away victory.
Galway United: Clarke; Slevin, Brouder, Walsh (Sivi 90), Hurley; Hickey, Burns, Keohane, Horgan (McGuinness 45), McCarthy (Bolger 71); Buckley.
Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly (Todd 59), Duffy, Akinyemi; Whyte (Patton 72), Diallo, Fleming, Winchester (O’Reilly 82), Stott; Bannon (Cann 45).
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
