Galway United secure first league win over Shamrock Rovers in 20 years to open door in title race

LOI Premier Division Galway Utd 2 - 0 Shamrock Rvs At the end of a week of explosive statements, Shamrock Rovers failed to produce one of their own as they missed a chance to put one hand on the title. Instead, this was not only a night to remember for all at Galway United, but also kept St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians in the hunt — albeit with Saints having missed the chance to have their fate in their own hands by losing to Shelbourne. With less than a fortnight to go, the title race still may have more twists and turns. The Hoops had not lost a league game to the Tribesmen in 20 years, but that history counted for little here as John Caulfield's men produced an impressive performance to shock the champions and take a massive step towards avoiding the promotion/relegation play-off. Stephen Bradley's men will travel back from the west with few complaints as, having come into the game buoyed by three successive wins, they were below par as despite all their possession, the final ball let them down too often. In their search for a sixth crown in seven seasons, with two games remaining, Rovers sit three points in front of second-placed Bohs and six in front of St Pat's in third, with the latter playing their game in hand against Derry City on Monday. Regular Position Team P G W D L GD 1 Shamrock Rovers 65 34 19 8 7 +19 2 Bohemians 62 34 18 8 8 +19 3 St. Patrick's Athletic 59 33 17 8 8 +26 4 Shelbourne 46 34 11 13 10 +2 5 Derry City 41 33 9 14 10 +1 6 Galway United 41 33 10 11 12 -4 7 Dundalk 41 33 10 11 12 -5 8 Drogheda United 37 34 9 10 15 -13 9 Waterford 34 33 7 13 13 -11 10 Sligo Rovers 23 33 5 8 20 -34 Galway skipper Jimmy Keohane put his side in front inside the opening two minutes and Aaron Bolger's fabulous strike doubled their lead just before the interval. The hosts were full value for this memorable victory, doing very well to frustrate Rovers in front of goal all night long. With three games remaining, the men from the west are seven points clear of ninth. As they looked to put last week's heartbreaking FAI Cup semi-final defeat to Derry City behind them, some home fans were still making their way into Terryland when, after just one minute 45 seconds, Galway shocked the champions. Having not kept a clean sheet in four games before their trip out west, that number became five as some poor defending saw Keohane fire Galway ahead. An Ed McCarthy long throw was cleared to the edge of the box but only so far as Bolger, whose shot was well saved by Ed McGinty. But the former Ireland U-21 'keeper could only parry it towards Keohane, and as Tunmise Sobowale switched off, the Galway skipper reacted quickest to tap into an empty net for his seventh goal of the season. The hosts may not have beaten the Tallaght club in two decades, but they showed no signs of hiding as they pressed the visitors high. An uncharacteristic loose pass by World Cup star Pico Lopes saw Galway threaten again before Matt Healy stopped the counter, picking up a booking in the process that the Corkman had no complaints about. Looking to put their nightmare start behind them, a clever pass saw the in-form John McGovern put through on goal but Galway centre-half Gianfranco Facchineri reacted superbly to deny the former Down GAA star a chance. Rovers upped the ante, dominating possession as John O'Sullivan (who was a late addition after Jack Byrne pulled up in the warm-up) and Healy saw shots blocked, but for all their efforts, Galway weren't allowing the champions a sniff in front of goal. The Hoops had no trouble in putting together clever, intricate passing moves to break into the final third, but the final ball was letting them down. O'Sullivan saw his shot well saved by Galway 'keeper Hugo Cunha just after the half hour mark and it proved a sliding doors moment as minutes later, Galway doubled their lead. Three minutes before the interval, Bolger fired in a second for Galway in almost a carbon copy of the first. The Hoops failed to clear another McCarthy long throw, allowing the ball to fall to an unmarked Bolger on the edge of the box, and the former Ireland underage cap produced a fabulous strike to take the roof off Eamonn Deacy Park. With his side chasing the game, Bradley opted for two changes at the break as Jake Mulraney and Healy were taken off for Adam Brennan and Jonathan Afolabi. With Rovers playing two strikers, Graham Burke dropped back into midfield. The switch almost had an impact as 10 minutes after the restart, Dylan Watts found a pocket of space just outside the box but his low, driving effort was clawed away from the bottom corner by Cunha. But as the clock ticked past the hour mark, the home fans began to really dream of the historic win that they had been waiting for. O'Sullivan's hopeful effort flew well wide before Brennan broke down the left flank and crossed to Burke, but the former Ireland international hit his effort wide. With that wasted chance, it was fast becoming a night to forget for the champions, the giddy home faithful getting more and more excited with every passing minute. They were almost off their feet once more with 20 minutes left, as Bolger cleverly flicked the ball past Brennan and ran half the pitch before his strike was clawed over the bar by McGinty. The Hoops threw everything they had at the home defence in the closing stages, with substitute Afolabi denied late on by a superb, point-blank Cunha stop, but a comeback wasn't to be as Terryland erupted at the full-time whistle.