Galway United Ensure Premier Division Football in St Pat’s Stalemate
Galway United prepare for kick-off against St Pat's at Eamonn Deacy Park
FT | LOI PD | 23 Oct
Galway United FC 0-0 St Patrick’s Athletic
By Hannah Stack
Galway United secured Premier Division status for next season in a nil-all draw against St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night, 23 October, in Éamonn Deacy Park. The tribesmen came into this fixture knowing that one point was enough for them to secure football in the topflight next season.
The first real chance of the game came by way of United’s Gianfranco Facchineri, when a ball from Kris Twardek dropped kindly in the penalty area. The attempt from the Canadian player sailed straight into the steady hands of Joseph Anang.
Despite their dominance in possession throughout the opening 45, Pats couldn’t get the better of United’s stubborn low block. Hugo Pires Da Cunha was called into action for the first and only time after a long range shot from Aidan Keena, the only shot on target of the first half.
Half-Time: Galway United 0-0 St Patrick’s Athletic
Both teams came out with a new lease of life in the second half. As the tempo increased, the Saints began to deliver more balls into United’s box. One such attempt forced Conor Barratt into a heroic goal-line clearance after a good attempt from Keena.
Anang was almost called to action from a Jimmy Keohane strike but the midfielder never fully caught hold of it allowing the Ghanaian international to dealt with it comfortably. United were then presented with another big chance moments later as Twardek slipped a promising ball into the box for Ed McCarthy who unfortunately for the Galway faithful failed to control it.
The game would ultimately end in a stalemate in a contest where neither side done enough to deserve three points. At heart, St Pat’s were left frustrated by a Galway United team that have proven to be fundamentally difficult to break down all season long. It was also a night in which Stephen Kenny and his players watched their last hopes at staying in the title race slip away as Shamrock Rovers ultimately retained the title with a 4:0 drumming of relegated Sligo Rovers.
John Caulfield’s men who were tipped for relegation at the start of the season will take this performance in their stride as they now sit comfortably mid table in sixth place heading into the final match day of the season. They will travel to Louth to play ninth place Drogheda while St Pat’s host second place Bohemians at Richmond Park.
Galway United: Cunha, Devitt, Barratt, O’Connor, Facchineri, Bolger, Hurley, Keohane, McCarthy (Connolly 80′), Twardek (Lomboto 80′), Walsh.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Anang, McClelland, Brown, Redmond, Turner, Nugent, Forrester (Lennon 82′), Sheridan (Hoare 61′ / McHale 71′), Palmer (Leavy 61′); Keena (Olusanya 82′), Edmondson.
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.
