Galway FC 5-0 Shamrock Rovers ‘B’
TWO GOALS APIECE from Vinny Faherty and Jake Keegan, and a late Enda Curran strike were enough for Galway to throttle an out-of-sorts Shamrock Rovers Reserves at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Faherty’s brace came in the first 16 minutes against a Hoops side with just three wins all season in the league. Rovers stemmed the tide until the half-time break but Galway attacked the game with renewed vigour after the break and were rewarded. Keegan’s header made it 3-0 before Curran headed in one of his own in the closing stages.
Keegan added his second — Galway’s fifth — with three minutes to play. The home side needed the victory with their rivals also in good form this evening.
Longford Town 2-0 Wexford Youths
First Division leaders Longford put the hard graft in for the first 45 minutes against Wexford at Ferrycarrig Park before holding their hosts at bay after the break.
An unfortunate own goal by Youths defender Ryan Delaney had the visitors ahead after 25 minutes before Gary Shaw kept up his recent goalscoring run to double the advantage. Peter Hynes had a great chance to make it 3-0 in the final minutes but manager Tony Cousins will be nonetheless pleased with the three points.
Shelbourne 3-1 Waterford United
Shels remain on Longford’s coat-tails after win that was comfortable for all but two minutes. Jordan Keegan’s 14th minute goal had the Tolka Park faithful singing but a second did not arrive until midway through the half when substitute Adam McDonnell finished well.
Conor Whittle’s 75th minute goal for United led to some fretting amid the home support but the Shelbourne response was rapid. Gareth Coughlan scored two minutes later as the fight wheezed out of Waterford.
Finn Harps 0-0 Cobh Ramblers
There were eight yellow cards flashed by referee Ray Matthews at Finn Park this evening but he never once had to etch a goalscorer into his black notebook.
The match was held up for several minutes as Cobh goalkeeper Shane Hallahan was stretchered off with a bad leg injury. Robert Birdsall replaced Hallahan, who will spend the night in hospital, and kept the Ramblers goal intact with a couple of important stops.
