GALWAY UNITED 1-1 DUNDALK FC

Eoin Kenny’s 96th-minute header stopped Galway United’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division title bid in its tracks as he rose to give Dundalk’s hopes of retaining their top-flight status a boost with a 1-1 draw at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.

The Lilywhites are now seven points adrift of County Louth rivals Drogheda United at the bottom of the table and have just three matches remaining, with it still likely that there will be second-tier football at Oriel Park next season for the first time since 2008.

Dundalk are not in action during the international break but Drogheda are in Waterford next Friday, where a win for the Boynesiders will confirm Jon Daly’s men’s demotion with three games to spare and without kicking another ball.

However, if they draw or lose at the RSC, that will keep Dundalk in the hunt going into their penultimate home match and ensure that there is something to play for when FAI Cup finalists and double-chasing Derry City come to town on October 18th.

Dundalk had started well in Galway and were the better team in the first half without seriously threatening a breakthrough. Still, they managed to somehow find themselves behind at the half-time break as Patrick Hickey powered substitute Karl O’Sullivan’s delicious delivery to the net on 41 minutes.

O’Sullivan almost made a goal for himself in the 55th minute but he was denied by a brilliant Ross Munro double save, which ultimately proved a huge turning point. After the hour mark, sub Dara Keane’s header was cleared off the line, which was Dundalk’s best chance of a leveller in the second half – until deep, deep into injury-time.

Daly had emptied the bench as Dundalk threw everything at Galway, who would have jumped into second place with a win, and the manager’s very final roll of the dice would prove the difference as Kenny came off the bench in the 81st minute and planted fellow sub Ryan O’Kane’s cross in the bottom corner to stun the Tribesmen at the death.

For the game, Daly made two changes to the team that were beaten at home by Bohemians. Dan Pike, who was unavailable through injury, and Mayowa Animasahun were replaced by Koen Oostenbrink and Hayden Cann, the latter coming straight back into the side after suspension.

Dundalk had the first chance of the evening in the fourth minute when Paul Doyle floated a left-footed free-kick into the box where club captain John Mountney met the ball with a header from eight yards but it was straight at a grateful Brendan Clarke.

It was a bright, confident start from the visitors against the high-fliers, who struggled to find any attacking rhythm in the early exchanges. Dundalk’s game plan was working, although, Mountney’s effort aside, they did not threaten the home goal.

Galway were forced into a change in the 27th minute when Ed McCarthy was unable to shake off a knock and was replaced by fellow Limerick native O’Sullivan, who had made a strong impact from the bench at Oriel Park when the sides met in August.

The Tribesmen threatened for the first real time in the 39th minute when Greg Cunningham’s corner to the back post was touched back by Jimmy Keohane for Stephen Walsh but the forward, who scored twice in that last meeting, flashed a shot wide under pressure.

That was a warning for what was to come as, just two minutes later, Galway hit the front. O’Sullivan raided down the left and, just as he had done in Louth two months ago, delivered a pinpoint cross into the six-yard area where Hickey powered an unstoppable header past Munro.

With Dundalk staring at almost certain relegation, Daly made a double substitution at the interval as Keane and Norman Garbett were introduced for Robbie Benson and Doyle. On 52 minutes, those subs combined nicely on the left but Garbett’s low cross in the box was well cleared by Killian Brouder.

Galway then nearly made it 2-0. O’Sullivan stole possession on the left and drove into the area before unleashing a low strike which was deflected but Munro produced a superb stop to block the ball going in before quickly recovering to touch it behind to safety.

Past the hour mark, Dundalk put a little period of sustained pressure on the home defence and it ended with Jamie Gullan getting a sight of goal, with the Scot firing a fierce 25-yard shot that flew past the top corner.

On 64 minutes, Mountney went on a marauding run down the right and, given plenty of space, his cross was met by Keane in the area but he saw his header cleared off the line by Brouder, an agonising moment for Dundalk who were desperate for a way back into the game.

At the other end, Galway flashed a header wide from a Conor McCormack cross following a short-corner routine with Cunningham. Daly then threw on Jad Hakiki and O’Kane in some of the last throws of the dice in Dundalk’s bid to preserve their top-flight status.

Kenny was the final roll with ten minutes left on the clock. However, it was Galway who almost scored again moments later as Cunningham slid a pass for Walsh to latch onto but Cann covered across well to block the ball behind.

Dundalk had put in a huge shift to find a positive result and they got what their performance deserved six minutes into injury-time when O’Kane stood up a cross for Kenny and the young striker planted the ball in the bottom corner to silence a large home support, with an official attendance of 4,291.

Dundalk could well have won it straight from the restart as they immediately attacked again but Kenny dragged his shot wide. Still, the draw at least ended their five-game losing streak. Galway had been relegated seven years ago this month after a 4-3 loss at home to the Lilywhites, and this result will sting them in a very different way. For Dundalk, it is all eyes on Waterford in seven days.

GALWAY UNITED: Brendan Clarke, Colm Horgan, Garry Buckley, Killian Brouder, Greg Cunningham, Conor McCormack, Vincent Borden (David Hurley 70), Patrick Hickey (Rob Slevin 84), Jimmy Keohane, Ed McCarthy (Karl O’Sullivan 27), Stephen Walsh. Subs not used: Jack Brady (GK), Conor O’Keeffe, Regan Donelon, Bobby Burns, Brian Cunningham, Jeannot Esua.

DUNDALK FC: Ross Munro, John Mountney, Andy Boyle, Hayden Cann, Seán Keogh (Eoin Kenny 81), Koen Oostenbrink (Jad Hakiki 73), Daryl Horgan (Ryan O’Kane 73), Paul Doyle (Norman Garbett HT), Aodh Dervin, Robbie Benson (Dara Keane HT), Jamie Gullan. Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (GK), Mayowa Animasahun, Scott McGill, Bobby Faulkner.

REFEREE: Eoghan O’Shea.

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