Galway take point and major step towards safety

Bray Wanderers 1 Galway United 1

An opportunistic equaliser from Gary Shanahan should be sufficient to secure Galway United’s place in next season’s Premier Division as the sides swapped first half goals at the Carlisle Grounds.

Galway remain third bottom of the table three points ahead of Drogheda United in the relegation play-off place with one game to play. But being seven goals better off should see Tommy Dunne’s side safe.

A sluggish start from Galway might have seen them a couple of goals down within six minutes, but for a volleyed miss by Graham Kelly and a complete miss-kick by Dave Scully.

Galway responded with Bray keeper Peter Cherrie forced into a fine double save from Jake Keegan and Ryan Connolly.

In contrast to that, a goalkeeping mistake at the other end gifted Bray the lead on 17 minutes.

John Sullivan, scorer of a dramatic stoppage time equaliser in last week’s 2-2 draw with Shamrock Rovers, met Ryan McEvoy’s corner with a downward header. The poorly positioned Conor Winn made the save, but the ball was adjudged by assistant referee Ciaran Delaney to have crossed the line.

Remarkably, a blunder at the other handed Galway an equaliser within four minutes.

Cherrie’s attempted throw out to Michael Barker resulted in the ball striking the left-back on the heel to run into the path of the alert Shanahan who curled the ball beyond the stranded Cherrie to the net.

Though Bray dominated the second half, Cherrie had to make another excellent double save on the hour.

Played in from Marc Ludden’s quickly taken throw, Keegan first had his angled shot parried by Cherrie. The Bray keeper then saved again as Keegan fired in the rebound.

BRAY WANDERERS: Cherrie; Douglas, McNally, Cooney, Barker; Sullivan; Hanlon (Wixted, 66), Kelly, McEvoy, Cassidy; Scully (Lyons, 81).

GALWAY UNITED: Winn; Horgan, Sinnott, Oji, Ludden; Shanahan, O'Leary (Raftery, 30), Connolly, Melody (Saarelma, 78); Keegan, Curran (O'Connell, 84).

Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).