Galway United and Shelbourne share the spoils in league once again
Sides play out a sixth 1-1 draw in eight meetings as United’s injury crisis worsens
Galway United and Shelbourne played out a scarcely believable sixth 1-1 draw in their last eight meetings as the sides had to settle for a share of the spoils in Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.
The Tribesmen took the lead in this League of Ireland Premier Division clash in first-half injury-time, Jimmy Keohane converting from the penalty spot after a foul on Lee Devitt; but the visitors bagged an equaliser just short of the hour mark to leave both sides still looking over their shoulder at the relegation play-off spot, with United four points clear of Drogheda, and Shels having an additional two-point cushion.
The visitors won their first game under new manager, Galway native John Russell, a week earlier - at the eighth time of asking - and they would have got a jolt of confidence from that 3-2 win away to Dundalk.
United for their part were on a run of two defeats in three games having seen their good form over the summer - when they went nine unbeaten - desert them, but that loss of form coincided with a growing injury list, with Killian Brouder, Leigh Kavanagh, Axel Piesold, Mattie Wolfe, and Ed McCarthy all missing from the action, and John Caulfield's side were dealt a further blow on that front in the 9th minute when Wasiri Williams was forced off.
It looked like he had suffered a nasty facial injury, having taken an accidental blow to the face when stooping low to head the ball on the half-way line.
He was treated for a number of minutes on the pitch before being helped to the sideline, holding a large clump of gauze to his face, to be replaced by Al-Amin Kazeem. Unsteady on his feet, he was then placed on a stretcher and brought to the dressing room for further treatment.
Both sides tried to get their passing game going early, with Shels enjoying a couple of instances of sustained early pressure, and they really should have taken the lead in the 17th minute. A deep cross to the back post was headed back across goal by James Norris, with Evan Caffrey unmarked on the six-yard line, but he smashed a free header off the crossbar.
United's first chance of the game came two minutes later, Devitt clipping a ball into the box after a Keohane free-kick was only half-cleared, but Anthony O'Connor's hooked effort bobbled across the face of goal and wide.
Chances were at a premium in the opening half, with a Devitt toe-poke that was off target being the only other effort on goal and we looked set to be going into the break level when the Tribesmen took the lead.
The lengthy treatment for Williams saw five minutes being added to the 45, and we were heading into the last of them when Odhran Casey caught Kris Twardek with a heavy tackle on the halfway line.
It looked to be a booking, but referee Rob Hennessy instead just issued a stern warning. United were aggrieved, but the mood changed when Keohane's deep delivery was headed into the danger area by O'Connor.
The ball was half-cleared, and Jack Henry Francis swung a leg to clear the ball, but Devitt was just half second quicker, and got a touch before being flattened by the Shels' man. Hennessy pointed to the spot, and Keohane sent Conor Walsh the wrong way from 12 yards, smacking his effort to the goalkeeper's left at the carpark end, and there wasn't even time for the restart before the half-time whistle went.
Aaron Bolger went close to doubling United's lead three minutes into the second-half when letting fly from the edge of the box, but his effort was deflected out for a corner that came to nothing.
The home side then suffered a second injury blow when Kazeem was himself helped off in the 53rd minute, with Francely Lomboto coming on: it’s not a team bus United need, but a team ambulance.
Gianfranco Facchineri saw a goal-bound effort blocked at one end of the pitch, before being caught at the other end for the Shels equaliser in the 58th minute. Milan Mbeng tried to go around the United defender, but Facchineri got between man and ball and looked to have the situation under control.
However, Mbeng bullied him off the ball before squaring for Ademipo Odubeko, and he thwacked a low effort under the dive of Hugo Da Cunha for the equaliser.
It was more toil than style, with defences on top, though Shels had a scare when a Twardek cross took wicked deflection off a defender and spun over the retreating Walsh and across goal, but there was no maroon jersey close enough to apply the finishing touch.
Devitt had a 25-yard effort from a tight angle straight at Walsh, but at least it counted as an effort on goal; while Odubeko did the same at the other end.
United had a late chance to win it when Lomboto raced clear from inside his own half, despite having his jersey pulled by Mbeng, and Norris’ attempt to trip him. The substitute only had Walsh to beat, but the goalkeeper came off his line to narrow the target, and Lomboto’s weak effort was straight at the goalkeeper.
Galway United: Da Cunha; Barratt, Williams (inj, Kazeem 9; inj, Lomboto 53), O'Connor, Facchineri; Devitt; Bolger, Hurley, Keohane; Walsh (Pierrot 82), Twardek.
Shelbourne: Walsh; Bone (Coote 65), Casey, Ledwidge, Norris; Henry-Francis, McInroy; Mbeng, Caffrey, Moore (Boyd 45; Martin 77); Odubeko.
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick).