Galway United secured their place in the last eight of the Men’s FAI Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Bray Wanderers at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Galway United prevailing 5-4 in the subsequent shootout, marking their first cup final appearance since 1991.
A tight first half with missed chances
Galway United dominated possession in the first half but struggled to convert their chances. David Hurley came closest in the 18th minute, his left-footed shot hitting the crossbar. The Tribesmen hit the woodwork twice more, with Stephen Walsh glancing a header off the bar in the 35th minute. A penalty claim for Galway United was waved away by referee Paul McLoughlin after Kris Twardek fell in the penalty box. Francely Lomboto had a close shot saved by Bray Wanderers' goalkeeper Rian Hogan, while Bray’s best chance came from Ben McCormack, whose shot was deflected over the crossbar.
Bray Wanderers take the lead, Galway United equalise
The second half saw Bray Wanderers dominate possession, but it wasn’t until the 80th minute that they took the lead. Tyreik Sammy curled a left-footed effort from 20 yards out to give Bray the advantage. However, David Hurley equalised for Galway United just six minutes later, setting up a tense finish. Extra time saw Frantz Pierrot miss Galway’s best chance, but the match remained deadlocked at 1-1 after 30 minutes of additional play.
Penalty shootout drama
The penalty shootout was a nerve-wracking affair, with Galway United’s David Hurley, Frantz Pierrot, Jimmy Keohane, Lee Devitt, and Dylan Connolly all converting their kicks. Bray Wanderers’ Richard Ferizaj saw his penalty saved by Galway United goalkeeper Hugo da Cunha, securing the victory for the Tribesmen. This win advances Galway United to the last eight of the Men’s FAI Cup, where they will look to continue their impressive run.
Current form and next fixture
Galway United are currently 7th in the Premier Division with 33 points from 27 games, including 8 wins, 9 draws, and 10 losses. Their recent form has been mixed, with 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses in their last five matches. Their next fixture is a home game against Shelbourne on August 28, 2026. For more details on their upcoming matches, visit our fixtures page.
