Soccer

Dundalk withstand late Galway rally to extend lead at top of table

Boost for champions as they prepare for Champions League tie in Belarus

Dane Massey celebrates scoring Dundalk’s second goal at Eamonn Deacy Park, his fourth of this season’s campaign. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho.
Dane Massey celebrates scoring Dundalk’s second goal at Eamonn Deacy Park, his fourth of this season’s campaign. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho.
Tue Jul 07 2015 - 22:22

Galway United 2-4 Dundalk

Dundalk warmed up for their Champions League trip to Belarus next week with an impressive victory over Galway at Eamonn Deacy Park. The home side made the champions battle all the way but Dundalk showed their class to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Dundalk deservedly led 1-0 at the break thanks to a superb goal from top scorer Richie Towell. He had been quiet in the opening half but that all changed ten minutes from the break.Towell was fouled by Marc Ludden and then sent the resultant free from about 25 yards flying into the top right corner for a superb goal.

It was no more than the champions deserved after dictating play from the outset with some neat passing football.

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Galway goalkeeper Conor Winn was kept busy but he dealt capably with everything that came his way from the likes of David McMillan and Andy Boyle before Towell struck.

The Horgan brothers, Dundalk’s Daryl and Colm of Galway, enjoyed plenty of tussles in a good contest.

Galway almost pulled back an equaliser just before the break but Jake Keegan’s low effort flashed the wrong side of the left post.

Dundalk continued to press after the restart and doubled their lead after 58 minutes when the unmarked Dane Massey headed home a corner from Meenan for his fourth of the campaign to make it 2-0.

Dundalk appeared to have wrapped up the points after 67 minutes when Towell rifled home his second after Galway failed to deal with a corner. Enda Curran gave the home side some hope, however, with a goal from a free on 74 minutes and a strike from Padraic Cunningham four minutes from the end ensured a nervous finish for the champions.

Gary Rogers denied Gary Shanahan an equaliser a minute from time and then John Mountney wrapped it up with Dundalk’s fourth in stoppage time.

GALWAY UNITED: Winn; Horgan, Sinnott, Walsh, Ludden (Cantwell 82); Garcia (Shanahan, 56), O’Leary (Cunningham, 62), Byrne, Connolly, Keegan; Curran. DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle (Barrett, 72), Massey; Meenan, O’Donnell, Towell, Horgan; Finn (Shields, 76), McMillan (Mountney 85). Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare).