Shelbourne 1

Galway United 1

By Kevin Horgan at Tolka Park

AFTER suffering a second home defeat in a row on Friday night, Galway United picked up a valuable point on the road on Monday evening, following a hard-earned draw with league champions, Shelbourne, at Tolka Park.

This was the first time United avoided defeat in a league game at Tolka Park since their return to the top tier  last season.

In a match United had under 25 per cent possession, the visitors were made to defend for large periods, but they also looked extremely dangerous on the break.

John Caulfield’s charges got off to the worst possible start in north Dublin as Ellis Chapman fired a left-footed effort past Brendan Clarke in the United goal, inside the first minute of the game to give the home side the lead.

Despite this early setback, the visitors did grow into the game and Bobby Burns almost levelled matters in the sixth minute. Burns picked up the ball on the left flank and he rifled a left footed effort from outside the box, which crashed off the Shels crossbar.

Unsurprisingly, Caulfield made numerous changes from his side’s defeat against Derry City on Friday night, with Brendan Clarke, Stephen Walsh and David Hurley all coming into the side.

In the 19th minute, the hosts almost doubled their lead. After some neat build up play, Mipo Odubeko found himself in behind the Galway defence, but his effort was superbly saved by Clarke.

Like their performance in Sligo, United operated with only one striker for much of the first half, as Walsh dropped into midfield on countless occasions, especially when United were out of possession.

Odubeko then had another opportunity for Shels. United failed to deal with a Shelbourne delivery, and the ball fell to the attacker, but his effort was comfortably saved by Clarke.

The away side sat in a low block for much of the opening half, which allowed the league champions have the majority of the ball. Evan Caffrey was next to go close for Duff’s side, but the former UCD player saw his glancing header go closely wide.

A minute later, United almost made it 1-1. Left wing back, Burns, linked up well with Hurley and the former Glentoran man fired an effort across goal from close range, but the effort went agonisingly wide.

After this, the game really opened up, and it was end to end stuff for the remainder of the half. Former Sligo Rovers player, Chapman, almost made it 2-0 in the 37th minute, when his effort from outside the box left Clarke stranded in the Galway goal, but his effort came back off the crossbar.

United then gathered possession and quickly went on the counterattack. Moses Dyer picked up the ball on the edge of the Shelbourne box, and he whipped an incredible right footed effort past Conor Kearns in the hosts goal to level matters.

Pictured: Moses Dyer, who scored twice in Tolka Park on Monday evening, seen here in action against Carl Winchester and Kevin Holt in last Friday’s home game against Derry City. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.