Dundalk 1-0 Galway United

Friday, 8 May 2009

Match Report from RTE.IE

Declan O'Brien's second goal of the season was enough to lift Dundalk out of the relegation zone as they overcame a poor Galway United side at Oriel Park.

O'Brien raced on to Shaun Kelly's pass to lift the ball over Barry Ryan in the 31st minute before he was sent-off in injury-time foloowing two yellow cards in quick succession.

John Russell blazed Galway's best chance over the bar in the ninth minute, while O'Brien and Tiarnan Mulvenna both squandered opportunities to seal the win for Dundalk in the second-half.

Ian Foster's side were then lucky to keep their full complement of players on the pitch.

Winger Derek O'Brien, already booked in the fourth minute for a harmless altercation with George O'Callaghan, was lucky to escape a second booking for a high tackle on the Corkman in the 26th minute.

Dundalk took the lead five minutes later with their first real attack of the game after O'Callaghan kept the ball alive from a Galway clearance.

The ball fell to Shaun Kelly 20-yards from goal and O'Brien was quick as a flash to nip in and lift the Donegal man's pass beautifully over the advancing Barry Ryan.

Obviously stung by manager Sean Connor's half-time team-talk, Dundalk opened the second-half very much on the front foot.

David Cooke had to hack Michael Daly's dangerous cross behind with Mulvenna lurking dangerously at the back post. From the resulting corner, O'Brien almost made it two when he diverted Michael Coburn's flick towards goal.

Iarflaith Davoren was in the right place to clear the ball off the line for Galway.

Mulvenna then fired over from eight-yards after the visitors had failed to deal with another set-piece.

The Tribesmen flattered to deceive and failed to get any sort of fluency into their game.

Their best moment came in the 79th minute when Jay O'Shea, who was largely anonymous throughout, almost picked out substitute Mark O'Toole with a clever pass but O'Callaghan did well to halt the danger.

At the other end, Dundalk pressed for the second and they should have had it in the 88th minute.

Substitute Ger Rowe found himself in acres of space screaming for the ball but O'Brien tried to play a one-two with Shaun Kelly and the chance went.

The former Drogheda striker was then sent-off in injury-time but the Lilywhites held on for their second home win of the season.

Dundalk: Bennion; Coburn, Heary, Simon Kelly, Synott; Shaun Kelly, O'Callaghan, Daly, Mulvenna ; O'Brien, Mansaram (Rowe, 65).

Galway United: Ryan; Conneely, Guthrie, Breen, Davoren; O'Shea, Russell, McGrath (McBrien, 58), Cooke (Edwards, 58), O'Brien (O'Toole, 76); Faherty.

Referee: Damien Hancock.