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Twardek goal helps Galway spoil Dundalk's centenary night

RTÉ · James Rogers · 2026-08-21T20:57:02+00:00 · nguồn gốc

On the night that Dundalk celebrated their centenary of joining the League of Ireland, Galway Utd spoiled the party at Oriel Park as goals in either half from Ed McCarthy and Kris Twardek secured a huge victory for the Tribesmen. Trevor Clarke did pull a late goal back for the Co. Louth side to set up a nervy finish but the 2-1 defeat meant it was a repeat result of the club's first ever game at this level when they lost to Fordsons. With many events around the match, including a special edition jersey being released, John Caulfield’s side turned party poopers as they clinched just their third away win of the campaign. While Ciarán Kilduff’s side dominated proceedings, they didn’t do enough in front of goal as their run without a win now stretches to seven matches, with just two points out of the last 21 on offer. While the Lilywhites remain fourth, those behind are closing in on them with Galway now just four points behind them with a game in hand. Now five unbeaten, this result means Caulfield’s side are five unbeaten, with this result giving their hopes of avoiding a relegation play-off a massive shot in the arm. The hosts had a glorious chance to hit the front after just seven minutes when Trevor Clarke’s cross from the left was laid off by Cian Dillon into the path of Ronan Teahan, but the Kerry man’s first time effort flashed just to the right and wide. Within a minute Galway silenced Oriel Park. A routine ball forward from goalkeeper Hugo Pires da Cunha was knocked down by Stephen Walsh to Ed McCarthy, who ghosted past a flailing challenge from Aodh Dervin before curling an effort over Enda Minogue. The goalscorer was fortunate not to concede a penalty when it appeared he had bundled over Dervin in the box on 16 minutes but referee Mark Houlihan was uninterested. The home side continued to dominate but efforts from Ronan Teahan and Bobby Burns were easy pickings for the goalkeeper either side of a scrambled clearance from Wasiri Williams when it looked as though Rob Cornwall was set to score. After Clarke had crashed a shot into the side-netting, Stephen Walsh had a chance to double the visitors’ lead when he was picked out by McCarthy’s cross on the stroke of half-time but his header was tamely at Minogue. Dundalk would go close twice more in stoppage time but efforts from Dervin and Clarke failed to find the target. The pressure continued on the restart with Daryl Horgan curling just wide but once again the Tribesmen rocked Oriel Park by adding a second on 55 minutes with Anthony O’Connor beating Teahan to a headed clearance before getting to the endline and pulling back for Twardek to tap home. Having rung the changes, Egor Vassenin went close to pulling a goal back for the hosts when he headed just over from Horgan’s corner on 72 minutes. Another sub, Harry Groome, then had an effort blocked down a minute later before the breakthrough finally arrived when Clarke curled a free from just outside the box to the top right hand corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance. It looked like the former Shamrock Rovers man would level matters on 87 minutes when Burns’ cross from the left picked him at the back post but with the goal gaping his effort came off his own player, Vassenin, before going wide. Clarke would have another attempt from a free kick in stoppage time but this time it was straight at Pires da Cunha as the visitors held out for the win. Dundalk: Minogue; Dervin (McDaid, 59), Animasahun, Cornwall (Tracey, 71), Grivosti (Groome, 59); Buckley, Burns; Teahan (Vassenin, 71), Horgan, Clarke; Dillon (Gaxha, 59). Galway Utd: Pires da Cunha; Keohone, Williams, O’Connor, Facchineri;, Devitt, Kavanagh (Wolfe 62) (Thiam, 95); Twardek (Pierrot, 74), Hurley, McCarthy; Walsh (Lomboto, 74) (Kazeem, 95). Referee: Mark Houlihan (Clare).