Galway United 2
Cork City 1
Dylan O’Connell reports from Eamonn Deacy Park
GALWAY UNITED BREATHED fresh life in the First Division title race on Friday evening by coming back to beat Cork City 2-1 at Eamonn Deacy Park.
It looked like the Rebel Army had the three points they needed to secure the championship when Barry Coffey scored in the 50th minute, but the home side then scored twice in two minutes through Wilson Waweru and Charlie Lyons.
The result means that Galway will reduce City’s lead to just four points if they beat Treaty United at the Market Fields later this month.
Colin Healy’s side were determined to get the result to seal the title as they pushed up from the whistle and won a corner inside two minutes. Matt Healy sent a short ball to Ruairi Keating, who sent it back to the midfielder. His cross was cleared to Darragh Crowley and his shot was easily picked up by Conor Kearns.
United reacted by tightening up in the centre, and this forced City to come at them. Twice they got into a decent position when countering, and each time David Harrington plucked the ball out of the air for his team.
Galway were then awarded a free-kick, David Hurley’s ball was put out to Diego Portilld and the defender volleyed over.
Another opening inside the City half ended with Ally Gilchrist getting in the way of goal-bound header from Mikie Rowe.
City then drove up the pitch, a move led by Aaron Bolger in the centre. He set Cian Bargary and the winger’s shot was collected by Kearns. The next time Bolger got free, City won a corner and Healy’s ball was smacked off the crossbar by Gilchrist. The ball went back to Jonas Hakkinen and his limp follow up was scooped up by the Galway goalkeeper.
It was end-to-end and the home side should taken the lead when a Hurley corner missed Harrington and dropped to Rowe. His shot was blocked by Gilchrist and a second attempt was scrambled away by Barry Coffey.
Five minutes after the break, Bargary picked off a goal-kick from Kearns. He sprinted forwards and squared to a free Coffey. The midfielder’s attempt from outside the area grazed a Galway defender, went out of the Galway goalkeeper’s reach, and into the top-left corner.
City started to cruise. Healy hit the crossbar and Coffey put a shot from just outside the area over.
It was all going so well until Max Hemmings got into space on the flight flank and crossed to the back post. The ball was broken down to Wilson Waweru who found the net from close range.
Two minutes later a bicycle kick from Charlie Lyons went passed Harrington and Galway went 2-1 up.
City brought on Louis Britton and Dylan McGlade in an attempt to get back in the game.
In eight minutes of added time, the team couldn’t break down a well drilled Galway defence, keeping the title race alive.
Tonight’s other First Division clash saw Athlone Town win 3-1 away to Cobh Ramblers.
Galway United: Conor Kearns; Conor O’Keeffe, Stephen Walsh, Charlie Lyons, Diego Portilla (Bastien Hery 64), Mikie Rowe, David Hurley, James Finnerty, Ronan Manning (Wilson Waweru 64), Edward McCarthy, Max Hemmings.
Cork City FC: David Harrington; Cian Coleman, Ally Gilchrist, Aaron Bolger, Ruairi Keating, Barry Coffey, Cian Bargary (Dylan McGlade 87), Matt Healy, Darragh Crowley, Cian Murphy (Louis Britton 86), Jonas Hakkinen.
Referee: Oliver Moran
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
In other news: the laws around the breakdown, lineout and offside line have been abolished.
Saracens win then! Him and Barnes are in a league of their own for blinkers.
@David Coyne: get your excuses in early
@David Coyne: Barnes is actually one of the best out there these days.
@Bungee Aky:
Did not expect to see you on here after Jim took your head off the other day ?? Did you Email him and say sorry !! You know he is having a good laugh at you !!
Has not been kind to irish teams so far this year
Not sure who this suits more but I suspect that the more cynical team at the breakdown will be rewarded.
@Jim Demps: suits Sarries I’d say as Garces as red means no offside and free for at rucks
@Conor Sexton: have you watched Leinster recently? Furlong and Fardy haven’t been legal at rucktime in an age. The only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher at. Saracens are no angels at the ruck but neither are Leinster.
@Jim Demps: I don’t know whether to laugh or to pity you when I see how bitter you are towards Leinster. Read Nietzsche and set yourself free!
@Andrew Hurley: yawn. Not bitter at all, I’ll be supporting them in Newcastle. You going?
@Jim Demps: No, why?
@Andrew Hurley: thought you might make the effort to actually go to a game. You’re a leinster fan right? Or are you just anti munster?I could have pointed out all the finer points of the sport to you that you wouldn’t know having not played it.
@Andrew Hurley:
Ask him if he played ::and to what level since he is making fun of your participation in the game, he is having a go at you.
“The only ruck I remember furlong staying on his feet for this season was the one he put Cloete on a stretcher ” he must have said that at least 10 times over the last Month. Then he says” I’ll be supporting them in Newcastle.” not a chance will he !!
@Jim Demps: I go to plenty of games of rugby dear Jim. You’re such a fanboy, and so typical of a Munster fan (but I don’t think you see why).
Another insult to genuine rugby followers from the powers that be. This guy should have been put out to grass a long time ago. I hope Leinster can cope with Saracens illegal tactics because Garces will let them away with everything.
@Peter O’ Dowd: it’s up to both teams to play the referee. While Saracens have the advantage of already experiencing him and his interpretation of the laws already, the onus is on leinster to figure out what they will and will not be allowed get away with – which was a lot – I’m sure they have the experience to adapt accordingly
@Norris Kevin: fair point and it’s not as if Garces has never refereed any of the Leinster lads before. Stu and Leo will do their homework on the ref and what they need to watch out for!
@Norris Kevin: The ref should be fair and impartial & should apply the laws of rugby. It should not be up to the contestants to figure out what laws the ref will not apply n the day. If Saracens continue to cheat at the breakdown Leinster should take the law into their own hands.
@Locojoe: all very true in theory but referees are human and the laws can be ambiguously interpreted at times (e.g – deliberately weeling a scrum, clearing out etc) All you can ask from a referee is that he applies his interpretation of the laws consistently to both sides. In this day and age, teams prepare for games and also for the ref.
If he referees the final the way he did the semi then the ruck is going to be a free for all again. At least Leinster now have a template to work off and can plan accordingly.
@Eddie Hekenui: He’s a great referee, the best team always wins when he refs. Only Barnes close to him at a world level.
@Andrew Hurley: I’m guessing by that you mean Saracens were the better team and his performance had no impact on the result and if so that would be correct. Saying the best teams always win when he refs is a nonsense statement. The best team tend to win 99% of games. But he has made bad decisions in big games that have cost teams. Ask Gloucester fans for their opinion on him after he cost them a European title last season.
He is a very good referee but like all referee’s they have flaws. He doesn’t take full advantage of the tools at his disposal (namely the touch judges and TMO) and he can let the breakdown turn into a mess.
@Eddie Hekenui: I think he’s excellent and doesn’t try to be the headline in a match (like Barnes years ago and Owens throughout his career). Matches always better to watch when he refs, I think Ge’s an absolute treasure.
Very disappointing! A compensationary token to French Rugby? Could ruin the game as a spectacle as synical play will dominate.
Not good news about Garces, he does not see the offside, Itoge is off most of the time
Ah facksticks, it was going to be hard enough
Irish rugby football fans have to accept that Nigel Owens can’t referee every match involving the national team or a provincial franchise.
@Treaty Bhoy: just as well, Owens has been poor for a while now. While he is decisive he is often factually wrong. Would have preferred Poite or Raynal myself.
@Kevin Colman: Agreed, I don’t rate Owens as a ref either.
It’s just certain elements within Irish rugby football think the sun shines out of “Nigel.” I know he gives the Irish national and provincial sides plenty of decisions so that’s why they idolise him but I think he makes it more about him than the two teams, the stupid attention seeking gags about soccer etc.
@Treaty Bhoy:
I would be very happy with him as my ref, still one of the best in the world. Also Billy would be stopped from all that illegal running over players ::he would stop him from doing that (with a smile on his face)
He let’s a good contest at the breakdown. So we need to be on the sarries ball and commit numbers to defend our own properly. Not overly worried as Sarries dont have an out and out 7 but the do have an effective back row
@Dean Soady:
Players going in off their feet and from the side is a common occurrence in top14 rugby, at least we know what to expect from him and can be prepared
It was always going to be a Frenchman, but I would have preferred to see Poite in charge. Is Raynal injured?
Would you every all stop with your complaining, he’s a consistent ref, it’s up to the teams to play within his approach of the game, and they have plenty of time to get ready, he is not as prone to a howler as other refs are and won’t be the reason any particular team loses the game.
His approach to the breakdown is more lenient than other refs, but he always favors the team with the ball so whoever wins the possession game will also win the penalty count and in a final which will be a super tight affair that is huge.
@Bungee Aky:
Are you OK Bungee Aky ?? Jim is not a nice person and he should not be laughing at you. I don’t agree with you much of the time but you are a Rugby man and that is enough for me !!
Well another Irish side for a roasting – he clearly impressed Saracens
Is there a dictat to referees from the authorities to keep games flowing at any cost? Watching both semi finals I couldn’t help but think that is the case. The rules regarding the breakdown are not being enforced. Side entry, clearing beyond the ruck, offside at the breakdown are not being policed at all. Has there been a rule change or are the ref’s just not policing it anymore? It’s bloody infuriating!