RORY GAFFNEY’S goal at the start of the second half earned Shamrock Rovers victory in Galway last night.
It was a game that promised much but delivered little except a valuable three points for the visitors, who, amazingly, have now won 14 matches on the spin away to the Tribesman since 2006.
And three of the Rovers squad who made the journey west along the M6 to Eamonn Deacy Park were not born the last time the Hoops lost in this part of the country.
In front of a packed house, United had been the better team in the first half.
And Rovers keeper Leon Pohls was sent scrambling to get his hands on a Moses Dyer free-kick which looked bound for the top corner.
Disaster for United was narrowly averted when Even Watts tried to clear but instead hit Gaffney’s head with the rebound spinning just over the bar.
At the other end, Galway striker Stephen Walsh was almost through on goal when Pohls failed to gather a bobbling ball but the German recovered to clear the danger.
During the first 45, United had been honest and hard-working with Patrick Hickey causing the away side problems.
But the Tallaght side’s boss Stephen Bradley responded to the danger and brought on Lee Grace at half-time.
The decisive moment in the game arrived in the 48th minute when former Tribesman Grace knocked the ball down and Tuam man Gaffney hit home from a couple of yards out.
It was a setback which the home team struggled to recover from, although Dyer was harshly penalised when the ref blew up as he raced in on goal on the hour mark.
With Rovers playing a possession game and passing the ball well amongst themselves, the home fans began to get restless.
United piled forward late on in search of an equaliser but the best chance came at the other end when Watts saved an Aaron Greene shot before Rovers closed the game out comfortably.
SUN STAR MAN
Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers)
GALWAY UNITED: Watts 6; Esua 7 (Hurley 85, 5), Slevin 6, Brouder 7, Cunningham 7, Burns 6 (Donelon 80, 6); Byrne 7, Hickey 7, Borden 7 (Keohane 59, 6); Walsh 6, Dyer 8.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls 7; Grant 8, Cleary 7, Lopes 7, O’ Sullivan 5 (Grace 45, 7), Honohan 6; Watts 7 (Byrne 84, 6), McEneff 8 (O’ Neill 78, 6), Healy 7; Burke 7 (Noonan 69, 6), Gaffney 8 (Greene 69, 6).
REFEREE: K O’Sullivan (Cork) 8.
