Keohane strikes late as dogged Galway avoid defeat again

Galway United linger reluctantly in the battle to avoid the drop but they picked up a point after a tight tussle in Terryland.

Things looked to be going the way of Shelbourne thanks to Daniel Kelly. Kelly made a penalty, missed it and then scored the rebound with ten minutes to go, seemingly all but ending Galway United's hopes of fourth place but greatly boosting Shels'.

However, Jimmy Keohane – who moments earlier had curled a free-kick inches over – calmly found the back of the net deep into injury time with his left foot after a neat lay-off from Wasiri Williams.

Shels, who are out of the FAI Cup, must finish fourth and hope for favours elsewhere to be back in European football next season. For John Russell, who stuck by his decision to keep Paddy Barrett sidelined, this was a deeply frustrating loss of two points – but they arguably would have been lucky winners.

Results elsewhere mean United have still a battle on to avoid finishing second-last but their spirit is excellent and the experience of the veteran Keohane was paramount in Eamonn Deacy Park.

Seán Boyd was lively early on his return to the Reds line-up and he nearly embarrassed Hugo da Cunha eight minutes in. Boyd won the ball before the goalkeeper, but Leigh Kavanagh managed to clear the goal-bound header.

Given the quality in Shels' midfield – both JJ Lunney and Kerr McInroy were excellent against Ajax in Europe recently – it was notable how little of the ball the Reds got on in the first 20 minutes.

Midway through the half, a week on from his sensational opener in Dundalk, Ed McCarthy made a mockery of the concept that Milan Mbeng is a fine defender; having readily evaded him, McCarthy saw his low shot parried by Eddie Beach. United were confident and had a threat or two.

Mbeng eased a beautiful ball down the right to Kelly after half an hour and Kavanagh, on loan from Bohemians, fashioned a fine block from Evan Caffrey's left-footed strike.

Kris Twardek, who also scored last week in Dundalk, could make no impact here, such that John Caulfield – six years on from his first game as United boss, also at home to Shels – eventually withdrew him in the second half.

With both sides desperate to win, it was surprising how few goal chances they were.

Jimmy Keohane flashed a free-kick wide of the post midway through a tense second half, with Galway defending very stoutly at the other end.

A couple of days ago Belfast boy Sen Moore agreed to prolong his stay at Tolka Park by signing a contract extension with Shels, fresh from his stunning goal against Ajax. He was introduced off the bench by Russell and caused United some problems, with Mipo Odubeko also brought on to potentially end the stalemate.

Shels' best chance on 73 minutes was all about the pace and direct running of Kelly. He had United's defence breached, a rare event on the night, but his finish did not match the preparation.

Kelly was key to the penalty given on 78 minutes. Kavanagh seemed to insist he got the ball but he certainly hauled down Kelly, with Aaron O'Dowd, the referee, pointing to the penalty spot.

Kelly may never hit a poorer penalty but da Cunha parried the ball straight back to the 30-year-old, who tapped the rebound under the Portuguese.

Francely Lomboto, gutted after being taken off having come on in Dundalk, showed his quality with seven minutes to go, curling a nice shot wide with his left foot. If he had a point to prove, he was acting accordingly.

Shels should have made the points safe in injury time but Odubeko finished really badly when one-on-one with da Cunha – the story of his career in some respects.

He would rue that when Keohane helped to lift a couple of roofs off the old place on 94 minutes.

Galway United: Hugo Cunha; Wasiri Williams, Anthony O'Connor, Leigh Kavanagh (Al-Amin Kazeem 84); Jimmy Keohane, Aaron Bolger, David Hurley, Lee Devitt (Conor Barratt 88); Ed McCarthy (Dylan Connolly 88); Chris Twardek, Stephen Walsh (Frantz Pierrot 84).

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