Waterford FC 1

Galway United 2

Adrian Flanagan reports from the RSC

GALWAY UNITED CAME from a goal down to keep their European hopes well and truly alive with a  2-1 win over Waterford FC, with a 10^th-minute missed penalty from Padraig Amond a game-changer in this RSC clash.

With Keith Long’s side a goal to the good at the time through Dean McMenamy’s strike, the hosts had the chance to double their lead, but Amond’s spot-kick was saved by keeper Brendan Clarke as the visitors went onto claim a deserved three points.

It was the crossbar that denied Galway the lead on three minutes when Barry Baggley lost possession to Jimmy Keohane in the centre before racing at the Waterford defence, but his left-footed strike struck the crossbar before rebounding into the hands of Sam Sargeant.

Waterford took the lead on seven minutes. Ryan Burke sent over a left-wing free-kick that was knocked down into the path of Dean McMenamy, who swept a first-time right-footed shot to the right-hand corner past a helpless Brendan Clarke.

The Blues had a golden chance to double their lead three minutes later. Sam Bellis was cleared out of it on the right-side of the area by keeper Clarke, but the netminder made amends diving to his left to save Padraig Amond’s 12-yarder.

Galway slowly began to get a foothold into the game. Jimmy Keohane linking up with Vincent Borden on 32 minutes, but defender Kacper Radkowski got in a block before the cracked in a shot five minutes later only for Darragh Leahy’s deflection to take the ball wide of the target.

The visitors got the upper hand in the second-half, and they drew level on 62 minutes. Garry Buckley took advantage of a poor clearance to get clear down the right, and his teasing cross to the centre was touched home by Stephen Walsh, who got between defenders Darragh Leahy and Kacper Radkowski.

Killian Brouder put John Caulfield’s side in front seven minutes later. Greg Cunningham’s free-kick from 25-yards came crashing back off the bar and with Leahy’s clearance falling straight to the centre-half, he blasted home past Sam Sargeant.

WATERFORD FC: Sargeant; Power, Horton (Pattisson 74), Radkowski (Arubi 85), Leahy, Burke; McDonald, Baggley, McMenamy (Parsons 74); Bellis (Glenfield 66), Amond.

GALWAY UNITED: Clarke; Cunningham, Buckley, Brouder, Horgan (Esua 46), Hickey (Slevin 90); O’Sullivan (McCarthy 66), McCormack (Hurley 46), Keohane, Borden (O’Keeffe 85); Walsh.

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).