Rovers had to dig deep to take all the points against a resilient home side that were reduced to 10 men in the 40^th minute. Stephen Bradley’s excellent free-kick with 16 minutes remaining was enough to win the game but the Hoops ended the match with 10 men also when Pat Sullivan received his second yellow card in added on time.

The game started brightly and an early chance for the Tribesmen saw Russell shoot across goal after Sives defended a dangerous low cross. It wasn’t until the 18^th minute before another opportunity arrived this time Pat Sullivan responded brilliantly to deny Breen a shot on goal.

Aiden Price glanced O’Connor’s free-kick wide after 23 minutes before Galway’s number 4 dragged his shot across goal and narrowly wide. Dessie Baker saw his shot blocked following a long-throw by Rice and a good header down by Price.

A good move from Rovers on 31 minutes saw Mannus find Bradley and he raced forward to pick out Shane Robinson’s run but Ryan saved his first time shot. A Price slip let Breen take the ball into the area but Sives got back to cut out the danger. Breen was guilty of another miss just two minutes later when he headed wide from a good cross.

Shane Guthrie received a straight red from Referee Buttimer after an off the ball incident with Baker in the 40^th minute. Twigg and Sullivan had half-chances before the whistle for the break.

The Hoops were quick off the blocks in the second period and Rice’s turn and shot needed a good block from a defender. A short corner from Robinson saw Bradley cross for Gary Twigg to rise unmarked and send his header crashing off the cross-bar. Another Bradley corner in the 50^th minute saw a scramble in the box following a Sives shot.

Mannus saved a long range effort in the 52^nd minute before an O’Connor cross was knocked down by Robinson for Rice to shoot high over the bar. Rovers continued to keep 10 man Galway on the back foot but Bradley was quick to cur out a dangerous counter attack in the 65^th minute.

A double substitution in the 66^th minute saw Cahill replace Robinson and new signing Graham Barrett replace a tired looking Gary Twigg. Baker then headed a fine Bermingham cross over the bar. On 70 minutes Cahill found Baker in the box but this time he fired high and over.

After 73 minutes a Bradley free-kick from a central position just outside the box was brilliantly tipped away by Barry Ryan. From the corner the ball fell to Bradley outside the box and he was fouled by Murphy. Bradley stepped up to take the free from a similar central position but a yard or so further from goal and this time he beat Ryan with a shot through the wall to the ‘keepers right.

The home side tried hard to get back into the game but the Hoops guarded their goal well and created a couple of half-chances at the other end. Sullivan’s cross was met by Barrett a minute from time but he couldn’t direct his header on goal.

In added on time Pat Sullivan received his second yellow card for a pull-back on a defender and was sent off. Ironically as he walked off the pitch it was announced that he had won the man of the match award.