Galway United 2 St Patrick’s Athletic 1
There were pointed words about PowerPoint presentations in Irish football in the week leading up to this game. However, were someone, in Abbotstown or elsewhere, tasked with producing slides on the strengths of this league, they would be glad of a game like this to source some fantastic material.
On a wild night in the west, there was quality, physicality, passion, controversy and great goals. This is only to speak of the opening half an hour.
Before amassing a 2-0 lead, United had started shakily. St Pat’s early passing and movement was impressive and the home team chased shadows. Romal Palmer came close but after an early onslaught, the home team stemmed the tide.
Patrick Hickey was at the vanguard of the resistance. He won headers in opposition territory and teed Moses Dyer up for a glorious chance that was spurned.
At this point he took matters into his own hands and found the net twice in seven minutes. For the first, he was slightly fortunate to have had the benefit of deflections from both centre halves, Luke Turner and Joe Redmond. For the second, his emphatic header had an exquisite assist in a curling cross from Jeannot Esua.
The visitors retained their composure, and Aidan Keena gave a beautiful illustration of their quality when he swivelled in the box and volleyed viciously past Brendan Clarke to make it 2-1 after 30 minutes.
Earlier, the visitors had a loud appeal for a penalty turned down, and the frenetic pace continued after their goal. Zach Elbouzedi and Brandon Kavanagh would go on to force superb saves from Brendan Clarke. The visitors closed the half in the ascendancy again but retired a goal down.
Mason Melia’s introduction at the break was a telling intervention, as St Pat’s attempted to pin in their hosts. The youngster carried menacingly and drove forward at every opportunity.
Yet, the hosts' direct style maintained its efficacy. It yielded several corners, one of which almost unlocked St Pat’s defence but for a brave intervention by Keena. Hickey also spurned his hat-trick chance after a promising cross from David Hurley.
The second half was more of a rearguard action for the hosts. Galway captain Redmond came agonisingly close to an equaliser for the visitors but was thwarted by a majestic Clarke save.
Jake Mulraney showed class on the right to break free. His low drive was snuffed out by Esua perilously close to the line.
It was a professional effort from the home team to see the game out. After periods of pressure, they saw the game out with some comfort.
Thirty-four fixtures remain for either side, but five points dropped against Drogheda and Galway were not predicted pre-season for St Pats. They showed flashes of their quality but struggled with the power of the home team. There is much to ponder in Inchicore, much to enjoy in the City of the Tribes.
Galway United: Clarke; Esua, Slevin, Brouder, Cunningham, Burns (Donelon 71); Keohane, Hickey, Hurley (Borden 81); Walsh (Wilson 90), Dyer (Byrne 71)
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang; McLaughlin, Redmond, Turner, Breslin (Kazeem 83); Palmer 9Forrester 83), Baggley, Kavanagh (Melia 45); Elbouzedi (Power 71), Keena 9Carty 86), Mulraney
Referee: D MacGraith
