| Connacht derby ends in deadlock |
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| Monday, 13 October 2008 | |
 Despite Raffaele Cretaro netting a stunning opening goal early in the second half, the Connacht derby ended in deadlock on Saturday night.
report courtesy www.rte.ie Jay O'Shea's third goal in two games earned bottom club Galway United another point in their bid to escape relegation, at the Showgrounds. Raffaele Cretaro's splendid 52nd minute goal, his fifth of the season, opened the scoring and Rovers were the better team in an entertaining opening half. But it was Galway that created the first chance when Danish striker Jesper Jorgensen forced a save from Rovers keeper Richard Brush with a powerful low shot. Cretaro could have scored on 19 minutes, when he was picked out by David McDaid's left-foot cross, but his diving header went the wrong side of the post. Conor O'Grady also missed the target with a header from Brian Cash's cross, but the closest the sides came to a first-half goal was when John Lester cleared David McDaid's flicked header off the line on 37 minutes. Seamus Coleman and O'Grady forced further saves from Galway keeper Gary Rogers with shots from the edge of the area, while O'Shea went close for Galway at the other end when he broke into the area and forced Brush to make a diving save at his feet. Galway also had a couple of decent chances early in the second half, both falling to John Russell, but the excellent Brush was equal to the midfielder's two shots on target. But Cretaro found the net seven minutes into the half, when he picked up possession and took on the Galway rearguard before smashing the ball high to the net. Galway manager Jeff Kenna reacted by sending on Derek Glynn, Iarlaith Davoren and Vinny Faherty and he was rewarded when Glynn was fouled in the area by Danny Ventre. O'Shea confidently powered the ball into the bottom corner from the spot. Rovers substitute Paul McTiernan could have won it at the death when he raced through on goal, but Rogers rushed out to make another fine stop and secure the point for the visitors. Sligo Rovers: Brush, Coleman, Almeida, Peers, Ventre, Cash (Feeney 83), O'Grady (captain), Ryan, Doherty (McTiernan 88), Cretaro, McDaid. Subs not used: Curran, Jennings, Judge. Galway United: Rogers, McCulloch, Fitzgerald (captain), Conneely, Lester, A Keane, Foley (Glynn 61), Russell, Murphy (Davoren 61), O'Shea, Jorgensen (Faherty 72). Subs not used: Rouse, Tierney. Referee: D Tomney. |
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