It’s better late than never as Utd grab injury-time winner

Wexford FC 0

Keith Kelly at Eamonn Deacy Park

DAVID Hurley was the Galway United hero on Friday night as he came off the bench to claim all three points with a goal in the fifth minute of injury-time that was worthy of winning any game.

That said, it was a goal that deserved a far better game than the one it did win, but that is of little relevance now as this could prove the kick-start that United needed for their season – successive away games in the coming week against Cork City and Shelbourne will show if that is the case.

United were absolute bankers to end a seven-game home run without a win, a run going back to last September when Friday night’s visitors were also the opposition, but as the game ticked past the signalled four minutes of injury-time, frustration and disappointment looked to be the order of the day once again.

The home side were awarded a free-kick on the half-way line, and with the visitors baying for the full-time whistle, Conor McCormack’s delivery into the penalty area was cleared back out towards him.

The man in the middle, Rob Dowling, allowed play to continue, and McCormack slipped the ball left to Hurley, who cut in off the wing before curling a peach of a shot inside the far post, sending the United substitutes sitting up in the stand surging towards the railings in celebration as the visiting players slumped to the ground.

It was harsh on the visitors, who had lost all seven league games heading into Friday night’s encounter, but there is no doubt that United deserved the win. They struggled to get it, but they kept going and kept going and eventually found a way through, and the hope is now that it will prove a springboard for a real title challenge.

As is almost customary at this stage, there were three changes to the side from the previous weekend, with Gary Boylan, Mikey Rowe, and Padraic Cunningham all promoted, with Hurley, Chris Horgan, and Mikey Place dropping to the bench.

Wexford went one further, making four changes from the side hammered 5-0 the previous week by Cork City, including the introduction of Jimmy Corcoran in goal — Corcoran came to national prominence back in 2018 for being sent off in a penalty shootout when playing for the Republic of Ireland in an U-17 European Championship quarter-final against the Netherlands.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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