Galway United 1

Bohemian FC 1

A share of the spoils was probably the fairest outcome in this mid-table battle last Thursday night, considering the visitors were the dominant side in the opening 45 minutes, and United were by far the better side in the second-half.

That said, the home team are entitled to feel incredibly hard done by after referee Eoghan O’Shea ruled out what looked a perfectly legitimate goal a minute from time. Killian Brouder launched a long throw into the box, and Bohs goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka flapped at it, somehow pushing the ball behind him.

James Akintunde did his best to clear, but the ball appeared to cross the goal-line – and assistant referee, Richard Storey, raised his flag, seeming to suggest that it had. The United players peeled away in celebration, the Bohs players dropped heads into hands, but O’Shea decided he had seen a push by Pat Hickey and gave a free out.

It was a terrible decision, and the second time this season that O’Shea disallowed a United goal, having also chalked off a Karl O’Sullivan effort up in the Showgrounds a couple of months ago, and United assistant manager Ollie Horgan, didn’t hold back after the game.

“I spoke to him at the end, the referee said he blew before the ball went over the line which is an utter fabrication, we are after looking at it over and over again.

“He said Pat Hickey led with his arm, I am not quite sure, leading with your arm, he didn’t touch the ball with his arm, he didn’t touch the keeper.

“That is a number of times that official has given huge decisions, he did a game in the Brandywell [last month] where Shane McEleny handled the ball, if it was at the other end I have no doubt that it would have been given [against United]. He gave a goal away that we scored, Karl O’Sullivan scored a goal in Sligo, and he gave me the same excuse, he blew before he kicked the ball.

“Is he a bad fella? No. Is he up to the standard? I’ll let ye decide that,” he said.

Pictured: Galway United’s Ed McCarthy is sent tumbling by Dayle Rooney of Bohemians during Friday’s Premier Division tie at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photo: Iain McDonald.