Battling against swirling gales, Galway United booked their place in the last eight of the cup in last night's Connacht derby at Terryland Park. Athlone Town gave their all, as did the home side, to entertain the 4,000 attendance. After only three minutes, dual star Michael Donnellan found himself one-on-one with Athlone's 18-year-old goalkeeper Paul Brennan, who had been called in for the suspended Gary Connaughton, but Donnellan was foiled at the right hand post.
The game was erratic as the sides struggled against the elements, but near the half hour a Kieran Foley free kick was met by Eric Lavine who unleashed a 25-yard drive which went just wide of the right hand post. United took the lead in this absorbing encounter on 38 minutes when a shot from Lavine was only punched out badly by Brennan into the way of Michael Keane. He gave it back to Lavine who passed it to Niall Ogden who shot home from 10 yards.
The visitors were level on 66 minutes when a long ball caused confusion to Brendan O'Connor and, more so, to Scott Morgan who failed to clear. Ex-Athlone Town youth player Alan Clarke showed maturity to slot into the Galway United goal from 12 yards.
GALWAY UNITED: Hickey, Neary, Foley, O'Connor, Morgan, Sheridan, Clery, Keane, Ogden, Donnellan, Lavine. Subs: Malee for Sheridan (105 mins), Watson for Donnellan (105 mins), Gorman for Ogden (112 mins).
ATHLONE TOWN: Brennan, Malone, Fitzell, Silke, Smyth, Kelly, Fortune, Carberry, Clarke, Parkes, Mullan. Subs: Devine for Clarke (79 mins), Moylan for Mullan (90 mins), Frawley for Parkes (105 mins).
Referee: G Perry (Dublin).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)