Paddy McCourt was sent off and Eddie Dsane saw a penalty saved as Ronan Murray’s late double gave Galway United a big win over Finn Harps in the big relegation scrap at Finn Park.
Finn Harps 1 Galway United 3
By Chris McNulty at Finn Park. Pictures by Joe Boland and Donal Dunn, North West Newspix
With 14 minutes to go, and the sides deadlocked at one-all, Ronan Murray curled home a delightful free-kick.
Murray wonderfully beat the busy Ciaran Gallagher with a cracking right-footed effort on a disappointing night by the Finn for the home followers, who were heading for the exits when Murray, after his initial effort was blocked, tucked in his second and Galway’s third.
The Tribesmen hadn’t won away from home all season until tonight.
Six minutes into the second half, McCourt – booked for a foul in the first half – took down Colm Horgan and was handed the long walk back to the clubhouse by referee Neil Doyle.
Galway had hit the front in the 13th minute as Holohan latched onto a through ball from new signing Jonah Ayunga before lofting over the advancing Harps ‘keeper Ciaran Gallagher.
Harps had a glorious chance to draw level when Dsane had his heels clipped by Paul Sinnott, but Dsane was denied from the resulting penalty as ex-Harps goalkeeper Conor Winn got down well to turn it around the post.
But in added time, Dsane got on the end of Caolan McAleer’s cross to head home for his fourth goal in five games.
Dsane, had earlier seen Winn save from his 20-yard attempt while the Londoner did have the ball in the net two minutes before the penalty incident, but strayed offside.
Harps were fortunate to be just a goal down at the interval, as McCourt had to clear off the goal-line after Stephen Folan headed in from a Marc Ludden throw-in.
Harps had Ciaran Gallagher to thank for keeping them in it, the highlight being a top-drawer save from Murray, who flicked goalward from a Ludden centre.
While Galway lost Lee Grace and Vinny Faherty earlier this week, Ayunga was added to the squad and the ex-Sligo man teed up the opener for Holohan.
Roles were reversed soon after as Ayunga got on the end of Holohan’s centre but knelt to head wide.
Harps were on the ropes and, in between times, a cross from former Harps man Kevin Devaney almost caught Ethan Boyle out, but his block ricochet back into Gallagher’s arms.
A powerful effort by Devaney, after a slip by the returned Gareth Harkin – who was in to replace Barry Molloy – was beaten away by Gallagher.
Harps began with purpose, but Mark Timlin, who netted on his debut in last week’s 3-2 win at Bray,fired a free kick off target on five minutes.
Manager Shane Keegan reported this week that his squad had been downed by a vomiting bug but, not surprisingly, Winn, Colm Horgan, Ludden, Holohan and Ronan Murray were all included from the off.
After McCourt saw red, Gallagher was called to arms again, the Harps stopper this time palming away Holohan’s net half-volley from the right-hand edge of the penalty box.
It looked to be heading for stalemate but, after Ayunga thumped off a post, Murray’s brace sealed the deal.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Kilian Cantwell, Packie Mailey (Ibrahim Keita 76), Ciaran Coll, Gareth Harkin (Damien McNulty 40); Caolan McAleer (Pascal Millien 86), Paddy McCourt, Ethan Boyle, Mark Timlin; Sean Houston; Eddie Dsane.
Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Stephen Folan, Marc Ludden; Alex Byrne (Ronan Manning 66); Kevin Devaney (Gary Shanahan 90), Gavan Holohan, Jonah Ayunga (Eoin McCormack 93), David Cawley; Ronan Murray
Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).
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