Galway 3-4 UCD

Crisis-hit Galway United slumped to a 15th league defeat on the trot last night as the visitors took all three points in a seven goal thriller on Terryland Park to all but secure their Premier Division status for next season.

The home side, forced to place all professional players on the transfer list due to unpaid wages, started brightly but they conceded a soft penalty in the 11th minute which Dean Marshall converted to hand the initiative to the visitors.

The Tribesmen’s response was almost immediate, Bobby Ryan doing the hard work down the right before setting up Gary Curran, and Alan Murphy was on hand to divert his shot home from three yards for the equaliser.

The Students got their noses in front again in the 29th minute when Greg Fleming could only punch Darren Meenan’s cross towards his own goal, and Graham Rusk got the final touch on the line.

Rusk extended the visitors’ advantage five minutes later, firing home from six yards after great work down the right by strike partner Robbie Benson as the United defence was marked absent, but Bobby Ryan threw the home side a lifeline just before half-time, getting on the end of Karl Moore’s cross with a diving header which had too much power for Ger Barron in the UCD goal.

Cillian Morrisson restored UCD’s two goal advantage, chipping Fleming from the edge of the box in the 78th minute, but Murphy pulled another back from United form the penalty spot in the 82nd minute, but try as they might, the home side couldn’t find an equaliser.

Galway United: Fleming; Preston-Kelly, Maher, Walsh, Kelly; Ryan, Curran, Sinnott (Dusi 69), Moore; Murphy, Caldwell (Gilmore 78).

UCD: Barron; Nangle, Leahy, D O’Connor, Russell (Boyle 74); Marshall, P O’Connor, Corry (inj, Morrisson 57), Meenan; Rusk, Benson (Ledwith h-t).

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).