Jimmy Keohane scored two penalties to secure a vital 3-1 away win for Galway United against Sligo Rovers in the North West derby on Monday night. The victory lifts John Caulfield's side to sixth in the Premier Division table with 37 points from 30 games.
Cian Kavanagh gave the hosts an early lead at the Showgrounds, finishing from a James McManus assist in the eighth minute. The response came ten minutes later when Dave Hurley was fouled in the Sligo box, allowing Keohane to step up and convert the resulting spot-kick. Stephen Walsh then put Galway ahead seven minutes before halftime, finishing a move created by Kristopher Twardek.
Sligo pushed for an equaliser in the second half, but the game was settled with four minutes remaining when Galway were awarded a second penalty. Keohane again made no mistake, sealing the three points. Referee Rob Harvey's final whistle was met with boos from some home supporters, with Sligo now looking increasingly likely to be relegated.
Reaction and context
Manager John Caulfield praised the travelling support, saying, "About 120 loyal maroon army men made the trip to the north west to follow John Caulfield’s men." The win was a strong response after Galway had let a two-goal lead slip against Bohemians just three days earlier, ending a run of three games without a win. Jimmy Keohane highlighted the importance of Walsh's goal, noting, "Stephen Walsh grabbed another fantastic goal." The team's recent form and detailed stats show the importance of this result.
The result solidifies Galway's mid-table position and keeps their focus on the upcoming FAI Cup semi-final. They face Derry City away next on September 18th in a match that will be a key test ahead of their cup clash next month. That key fixture is part of a challenging run-in detailed on our fixtures page. Goalkeeper Hugo da Cunha kept a clean sheet in the second half to help see out the win.
The report in full is at galwayunitedfc.ie
