Galway United goalkeeper Barry Ryan delivered a man of the match display, but Dundalk still escaped with a share of the spoils at Terryland Park.

 

Teenager Steven Walsh nicked the only goal of an interesting first half in the 16th minute and though Galway went close to adding a second before the break Dundalk bossed the second half.

 

Ryan made a string of splendid saves to deny Wayne Hatswell, Ciaran McGuigan, Stephen Maher, and Steven Lennon, but Neale Fenn pounced in the 94th minute to eke out a draw for Dundalk.

 

The visitors settled quickly and three minutes in Ross Gaynor crafted a chance for Tom Miller, but the midfielder was denied by a Barry Ryan save.

 

Another Gaynor delivery caused panic in the 10th minute from a free kick with Ryan eventually gathering under pressure. Galway, though, remained competitive and hit the front in the 16th minute when Derek O’Brien manufactured a chance for Steven Walsh. The teenager, making his full debut, normally operates at the back, but was pressed into service as an emergency striker, and provided a deft finish to edge Galway ahead.

 

Sean Connor’s team have battled bravely throughout a debt ridden campaign and they continued to demonstrate defiance. Bobby Ryan carved two chances for Stephen O’Donnell and Walsh, who both extracted decent saves from Peter Cherrie.

 

Dundalk nearly nicked an equaliser in the 58th minute when Garry Breen’s long throw in was met by Wayne Hatswell, who headed wide. O’Brien was prominent for Galway and the left winger smashed a shot on target which Cherrie saved seconds later.

 

Hatswell was then thwarted by an excellent save from Barry Ryan as an improving Dundalk searched for an equaliser. Ryan made further stops before Fenn rolled the ball over the line in the 94th minute after Galway failed to clear Breen’s long throw.

 

Galway United: Barry Ryan; Conneely, McKenzie, Synott, Meynell; Curran, Heary, O'Donnell, O'Brien (Shaw, 80); Bobby Ryan (King, 72), Walsh (Molloy, 88).

 

Dundalk: Cherrie; McGuigan, G Breen, Hatswell, Madden; Kudozovic, Maher, Miller, Gaynor (McDonnell, 64); Fenn, Lennon (J Breen, 90).

 

Referee: R Winter (Wicklow).