League Report: Galway United 2 - 1 Treaty United

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

Galway Untied stretched their unbeaten start to the First Division to four games with a 2-1 win over Treaty United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Monday night.

Goals from Wilson Waweru and Stephen Walsh put the home side into a comfortable lead in the first half.

Enda Curran netted for the visitors in the second half for his third goal of the season to give the Tribesmen a nervy finish to the game.

Stephen Walsh made his first start of the season for the Tribesmen after the striker turned defender, turned striker again came off the bench against both Waterford and Bray Wanderers to score. Wilson Waweru also came back into the starting team having come off the bench against Wanderers last Friday, Manu Dimas and Jordan Adeyemo were the pair to make way.

Due to an unplayable pitch in Limerick last Friday night, Treaty United hadn’t played since Friday, 4 March in a scoreless draw with Cobh Ramblers. Tommy Barrett made two changes to that team with Matthew Keane and Joe Gorman starting ahead of Conor Melody and Joel Coustrain.

It took the Tribesmen just five minutes to take the lead with the goal coming from a long throw in by Killian Brouder from the left wing, the ball found a few heads in the box before former Treaty United man Ed McCarthy flicked the ball on to Waweru. The striker miskicked the ball at close range and the bounce took it away from the reach of Jack Brady for Waweru’s first goal of the season.

Treaty United could have clawed a goal back shortly after going behind, when two former Tribesmen collaborated with Marc Ludden firing the ball into the box from a corner-kick and Enda Curran meeting it with his head but sending it wide.

The visitors fired inches wide in the 20^th minute after some industrious work from Charlie Fleming up the right flank, he laid the ball off to Matt Keane before setting up Curran who dragged the ball just beyond the post.

Galway United’s Stephen Walsh scored for the third straight game in outrageous fashion just before halftime. Waweru flicked a header towards the box into Walsh’s path, Joe Gorman fell to ground giving up any pressure on the forward. He took it in toward goal and took it away from any oncoming Treaty defenders with some great skill before firing the ball into the top corner to double the home side’s lead.

The game slowed down somewhat in the second half, and it took until the 57^th minute for the first effort on goal with Mikie Rowe and Waweru linking up well outside the box before Rowe rattled a shot just over the bar.

Galway had another chance in the 64^th minute when they won the ball from a Treaty United corner-kick, Ed McCarthy broke up the field and it was two on two as Waweru overlapped his teammate, the pass was put through, but the timing was just off, and Jack Brady slid in to claim the ball just before the striker.

With just over twenty minutes to go a blunder from Diego Portilla allowed Curran in to finally grab that goal against his former club. Gorman booted a long clearance up the field, Portilla passed the ball back to Conor Kearns, but it fell short and allowed Curran to nip in and flick the ball past the goalkeeper who was left stranded.

Charlie Fleming cleared the ball off the line in the 79^th minute after another great break by the home side. Second half substitute Manu Dimas won a header in midfield to play in McCarthy, he squared the ball to Walsh but his shot was wrenched off the line by Fleming.

Kearns was the hero late on as Treaty pushed men forward, substitute Dean George had a crack on goal after great work on the left, but the goalkeeper made the great body block, the rebound fell to Kieran Hanlon, but he blazed the ball over the bar.

It is on to Friday night for both side with Galway travelling to face Athlone Town while Treaty United have a Munster Derby against Cork City.

Galway United: Conor Kearns; Diego Portilla, Conor O'Keeffe, Alex Murphy, Killian Brouder; Mikie Rowe (Gary Boylan 73), Conor McCormack (c), Edward McCarthy, David Hurley; Wilson Waweru (Manu Dimas 66), Stephen Walsh.

Subs not used: Matthew Connor, Evan O'Connor, Dean O'Shea, Max Hemmings, Francely Lomboto, Jordan Adeyemo.

Booked: Killian Brouder (70), Gary Boylan (87), Stephen Walsh (90), Edward McCarthy (95).

Treaty United: Jack Brady; Charlie Fleming, Joe Gorman, Marc Ludden (c); Lee Devitt Molloy (Kieran Hanlon 67), Stephen Christopher, Matt Keane (Dean George 58), Callum McNamara, Mark Walsh (Joel Coustrain 58); Enda Curran (William Armshaw 86), Sean Guerins.

Subs not used: Conor Winn, Joe Collins, Martin Coughlan, Colin Conroy, Jack Arra.

Booked: Joe Gorman (44) Charlie Fleming (87).

Referee: Michael Connolly.

Attendance: 1,500 (estimate)

extratime.com Player of the Match: Stephen Walsh (Galway United)