FAI Cup Report: Bluebell United 0 - 7 Galway United

Paul Corcoran reports from Tolka Park

Galway United progressed to the second round of the FAI Cup with a 7-0 win over Bluebell United on Sunday afternoon at Tolka Park.

David Hurley opened the scoring with a penalty, with Stephen Walsh adding a brace before halftime, Rob Manley added a goal to begin the second half with David Tarmey and Francely Lomboto coming off the bench to round out the scoring.

John Caulfield made three changes from his side’s 3-1 win over Athlone Town last weekend, Matthew Connor started in goals in place of Conor Kearns while Conor O’Keeffe and Wilson Waweru missed out with Diego Portilla and new signing Bastien Hery coming into the starting team.

Bluebell were holding their own in the opening ten minutes, and they even had a penalty shout when the Dublin side were imploring referee Gavin Colfer to point to the spot after an alleged handball by Charlie Lyons.

It was disaster at the other end when, just minutes later, Colfer did point to the spot when Bluebell’s Nathan Bell was adjudged to have pushed Stephen Walsh over in the box in the ninth minute.

David Hurley stepped up to take the spot kick and drove it into the bottom right corner for his seventh goal in all competition this season.

Bluebell were reduced to ten men just two minutes later when Shane Stritch caught Conor McCormack high with a challenge, Colfer had no choice but to dismiss the Dublin side’s number nine.

Bastien Hery, who made his debut for the Tribesmen on Sunday, took the ball on in the 14^th minute and slipped a great through ball to Rob Manley who was rushing into the box, the forward managed to get a shot off but it was far weaker than he would have liked, and Michael Quinn was able to make save.

Despite Galway’s numerical advantage, Bluebell did manage to put some pressure on going forward and in the 17^th minute Zahran Hajji played Leon Hayes through on the left, the midfielder raced into the box with Diego Portilla giving chase, he got a shot off, but Matthew Connor was able to make the save.

Max Hemmings was inches away from doubling Galway’s lea in the 26^th minute when Oisin O’Reilly switched the ball across from the left wing. Hemmings cut inside his marker on the edge of the box and rifled a shot toward goal with the ball zipping by the post.

The Tribesmen added two goals just after the half hour mark, Oisin O’Reilly played an excellent diagonal ball from his own half and managed to find the head of Stephen Walsh who nodded the ball into the bottom left corner to double Galway’s advantage.

Less than a minute later Walsh was in again, Hemmings slipped a neat pass through to the striker and he showed some great athleticism as he turned to get by Bluebell’s Karl Russell before rattling the back of the net for his second goal of the game.

Walsh was denied his hattrick in the 44^th minute when O’Reilly played him through again from the left wing, the striker raced toward goal and smashed another shot on goal, but Michael Quinn managed to tip the ball behind.

The Tribesmen added a fourth goal to their tally not long after the re-start, Hery did well to skip by a Bluebell challenge on the edge of the box before playing a neat pass to the onrushing Rob Manley, the striker placed the ball into the right side of the goal.

Adam Thomas linked up with second half substitute Francely Lomboto in the 66^th minute, the striker took the ball from the debuting Thomas and beat his marker before taking a shot with Quinn able to deny Galway man.

Manley followed up with an effort of his own in the 70^th minute, the striker showing some great footwork on the edge of the box to hold on to the ball before shooting, Quinn again was able to save.

The Tribesmen added their fifth ten minutes from time with O’Reilly providing another assist, second half substitute David Tarmey turned the midfielder’s low cross into the net for his first senior goal, the teenager having only made his debut against Athlone Town last week.

Lomboto added Galway’s sixth in the 88^th minute, David Hurley split the defence with a great through ball with the Tribesmen on the break and Lomboto raced toward goal to slot the ball into the net.

The striker secured a brace just three minutes later, O’Reilly played a great pass across the box to the striker, for his third assist of the day, he took aim in a crowded area and smashed the ball beyond the reaches of Quinn.

Bluebell United: Michael Quinn; Nathan Bell (Leon Heffernan, 86), Karl Russell, Jamie Geoghegan; Leon Hayes, James O’Brien (Jamie Kelly, HT), Nathan Benson (Sean Plunkett, 78), Zahran Hajji, Ayman Yousif (Chandy Dongo, 56); Shane Stritch, Glen McAuley (Stephen Kinch, 56).

Subs not used: Robert Bayly, Sodiq Oguntola, Eoin Hunter, Craig O’Brien.

Booked: Shane Stritch (11), Jamie Geoghegan (60), Chandy Dongo (75).

Sent off: Shane Stritch (11).

Galway United: Matthew Connor; James Finnerty, Charlie Lyons (Francely Lomboto, 56), Diego Portilla; Max Hemmings (Mikie Rowe, HT), Bastien Hery (Evan O'Connor, 68), David Hurley, Conor McCormack (Adam Thomas, 38), Oisin O'Reilly; Rob Manley, Stephen Walsh (David Tarmey, 56).

Subs not used: Conor Kearns, Killian Brouder, Wilson Waweru, Manu Dimas.

Booked: None.

Referee: Gavin Colfer.

Attendance: 300 (estimate)

extratime.com Player of the Match: David Hurley (Galway United)