GalwayUtd (0) 1 -Faherty 55'

Rovers (2) 3 - Twigg 4' 17' 65'

League of Ireland - Terryland Park- Friday 17th April 2009

16 Robert Duggan
15 Corey Treacy
14 Ollie Cahill
4 Daragh Maguire
6 Sean Webb
7 Shane Robinson
8 Stephen Rice
17 Greg Cameron
9 Gary Twigg
18 Dessie Baker
11 Sean O'Connor

Subs
2 Simon Madden
21 Padraig Amond
1 Barry Murphy
22 Tadhg Purcell

Hat-trick hero
Gary Twigg

A Gary Twigg goal-fest gave the Hoops all three points in an entertaining game against Galway United on Friday. The Scottish striker bagged a hat-trick to push the Hoops into fourth spot and make himself the league’s top scorer. The large travelling support didn’t have to wait long to start the celebrations as Twigg got his name on the scoresheet after just four minutes. Also on form on the night, Dessie Baker’s cross found Twigg who slotted home with a top class header.

The early goal put a spring in the Hoops team steps as they set about carving out a second just 12 minutes later. Baker could have laid claim to the second, as it was his powerful strike that beat Barry Ryan in the United goal. Taking the ball from former Hoop, Alan Murphy, Baker fired towards goal. The ball came off the post, but Twigg was there for the follow up to make sure the ball was going nowhere but the back of the net. And despite cries of off-side from the home team, the goal stood, leaving the score at 2-0 to the Hoops.

At this stage, Galway looked bereft of ideas and the Hoops easily held on to the two goal lead until the break. But the home side started the second half brighter than the first and looked more like getting back into the game. And on 55 minutes Vinny Faherty made a contest of it, by scoring for United and taking the score to 2-1. Murphy was again involved, leaving the ball in a perfect position for Faherty to score after getting on the end of a corner kick for his team.

But the Hoops showed a battling spirit to ensure that was the end of Galway’s fun for the night. Twigg got himself in position to get his third after he followedup on a near miss by Sean O’Connor in the 63^rdminute.

And 3-1 was how it finished, as Twigg took home his first ever matchball in the League of Ireland, and made the journey home much shorter for the travelling Hoops.