LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION Galway Utd 0 Shamrock Rovers 1:MICHAEL O'NEILL'S Shamrock Rovers revolution continues. Last night at Terryland Park the Hoops pared Bohemians' lead at the summit of the table down to four points, and the fact the victory over Galway United was coated in character added to the Dubliners' pleasure.
A 16-match unbeaten sequence ensures Rovers are dripping with belief again, but this was a victory as hard-earned as the scoreline suggests. Galway were defiant for vast chunks of an intriguing evening on the banks of the Corrib, but Rovers’ persistence was eventually rewarded.
Stephen Bradley received his footballing education at Arsenal, and his 74th minute free-kick ensured Rovers left from the Dyke Road venue with all the spoils.
While the current championship may just be beyond Rovers’ remit grasp, it is difficult to escape the notion that the Hoops have the potential to be the domestic game’s standard-bearers.
Rovers had to absorb a determined display from the hosts, who are dealing with some harsh economic realities. With crowds dwindling and forced to train on public pitches for the past fortnight, all that is dominating Galwegian thoughts is survival.
Early on Galway’s midfield diamond weren’t permitting Rovers time and space to probe. Unsurprisingly, Stephen Rice was covering the ground prodigiously, while Bradley drifted in from the right craving involvement.
Galway skipper John Russell was having an influence on proceedings, showing a commendable willingness to distribute the ball on the deck, but Rovers’ resolute defensive duo Craig Sives and Aidan Price were coping.
And in the 18th minute when a Dave Cooke delivery knived through the Hoops’ central unit, right back Pat Sullivan scampered across to make a smashing tackle on Galway youngster Aaron Greene.
O’Neill wasn’t satisfied in the technical area, but Rovers improved as the half wore on, and might have nicked the lead in the 27th minute. That the chance arrived courtesy of a mammoth Rice throw in came as little surprise, considering the gritty manner in which Galway were battling.
Rice hurled the ball into the area, Price flicked on for Dessie Baker, who thumped a shot on target, but Galway centre half Garry Breen blocked the effort.
Moments later the nifty Bradley located Shane Robinson, who examined Barry Ryan’s reflexes as Rovers were offering glimpses of their ability.
And six minutes before the break an off-the-ball clash involving Shane Guthrie and Baker culminated with the Galway defender being dismissed.
Inevitably Guthrie’s departure had a significant bearing on Galway’s approach as manager Ian Foster opted to move Seán Kelly from the midfield anchorman role to marshal the defence, while Murphy dropped from attack into the centre of the park.
Rovers ventured forward after the restart searching for the lead, and Breen had to be brave to thwart Rice, while the woodwork then came to Galway’s rescue when Twigg made a headed connection with a Bradley cross.
While there was a laudable honesty to Galway’s football as they pressed the Dubliners, gaps were beginning to open up. Bradley extracted a wonder save from Ryan on 73 minutes as Rovers pressed, but the Galway custodian was unable to keep his team in the contest a minute later.
Again Bradley supplied a crisp right-footed set piece shot, but this one went over the line, and the Hoops players celebrated.
Rovers had Pat Sullivan sent off in stoppage time for a second caution, but Bradley had landed the blow which truly mattered.
GALWAY UNITED: Ryan; Conneely, Breen, Guthrie, Davoren (O'Toole, 14 mins); Cooke, Kelly, Russell, McBrien (Molloy, 82 mins); Murphy, Greene (Faherty, 72 mins).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Sullivan, Price, Sives, Bermingham; Bradley, Rice, Robinson (Cahill, 66 mins), O'Connor; Twigg (Barrett, 66 mins), Baker (Flynn, 90 mins).
Referee: A Buttimer(Cork).
