10-man Galway United upset Bohemians at Dalymount Park

Maurice Nugent’s first half strike proved enough to take all three points out West despite playing the last half hour with 10-men.

Failing to build on the momentum gathered in an impressive performance against their fiercest rivals three days previous, the Gypsies took command of the ball early on in a relatively flat performance.

But with a quarter of an hour gone, a better connection from talisman Stephen Walsh could have given Galway the lead.

Five minutes later the visitors would edge in front when Maurice Nugent cut in from the end line before unleashing a powerful strike to the near post.

Bohs stopper Kacper Chorazka did well to get down to the initial shot but then saw the ball spin up and over him, eventually creeping over the line.

The natives were growing restless and with a half an hour gone it could have been worse as David Hurley’s delicately clipped free kick from the edge of the area narrowly missed the top corner.

But as the half drew to a close, the home side lifted the spirits with a couple of threatening corners, the most dangerous of which saw Paddy Kirk cut in and test Brendan Clarke with a low strike.

The furious Bohs boss Alan Reynolds had seen enough and hauled off Danny Grant, Dylan Connolly and Michel Lilander at half time, sending out a clear message to both players and fans alike that he expected more.

The changes did little to affect things on the field as the impressive visitors tested Chorazka twice from distance through Hurley and McCarthy before their challenge was made all the more difficult on the hour mark when Karl O’Sullivan received his marching orders for a second yellow card.

The hosts huffed and puffed, creating a couple of good situations but skipper Clarke remained relatively untested in the Galway goal. James Akintunde failed to connect with a header from close range from James Clarke’s cross from the left and had half a shout for a penalty when Killian Brouder collided with the Englishman in the area.

In a last roll of the dice, the Gypsies threw on Sten Reinkort to get two big men up top but frustratingly failed to create from wide much to the ire of the home support as the immense 10-men of Galway held firm to earn a massive three points to extend the unbeaten run to six in the league.

Bohemians: K Chorazka; M Lilander (L Matheson, 45’), J Mills, A Keita (D McDaid, 65’), P Kirk; J Flores, A McDonnell; D Grant (M Miller, 45’), J Clarke (S Reinkort, 79’), D Connolly (F Piszczek, 45’); J Akintunde.

Galway United: B Clarke; J Esua, R Slevin, K Brouder, A-A Kazeem (C O’Keefe, 79’); P Hickey (C McCormack, 70’), M Nugent (Vi Borden, 55’); E McCarthy, D Hurley (L Gaxha, 79’), K O’Sullivan; S Walsh.

Referee: Paul Norton.