Long jubilant while Keegan rues missed chance as Bohs win away in Galway

Bohemians picked up a valuable three points when they travelled west to face Galway United on Friday night and their manager Keith Long was pleased with the 2-1 win.

Dinny Corcoran scored in the fifth minute and Lorcan Fitzgerald doubled the lead for Long's side nine minutes from the break with a spectacular effort.

Ronan Murray pulled one back midway through the second half with an audacious effort of his own, but Shane Keegan's side's comeback effort fell short as they fell to a second defeat in five days.

“Three games in a week for both teams was tough,” Long told reporters at full time.

“We had a shorter turnaround time having played on Tuesday against Limerick, so it was a really big performance full of character by our boys tonight and I’m delighted to come away with a win.”

The Gypsies took their opportunities well in the first half as they raced into a two-goal half-time lead, and Lorcan Fitzgerald’s 36^th minute volley was particularly impressive.

“There was a nice combination build up play outside with Dinny Corcoran and Keith Ward. They’re quality players and they’ve a good understanding,” Long said.

“Lorcan finished off. There was a lot of space on his side so it was a long time coming across the pitch and he had a lot of time to think about it but he connected perfectly and he’s volleyed it home with a great finish to go 2-0 up in the game.”

While Bohs took their chances in the first half, the Tribesmen came right back into the game in the second half and could have gotten a result given the amount of pressure they placed on the away side.

United manager Keegan was upset at a return to a trend he felt he saw a lot of at the start of the season, as he felt Galway created all the chances but still came out the wrong side of the result.

“Take the goals out of the game, you show people the highlights in general [and] ask them which team you think won the game and I think it’s us all day people are saying.

“It’s just a very similar feeling to those early rounds of the season and it’s a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time and it’s not a nice feeling I can tell you,” he said.

After a great run of form which saw The Tribesmen go seven games unbeaten they’ve now lost two on the trot with just one more game before the mid-season break.

United travel to face Derry City next week with Shane Keegan desperate to get a result before the break.

“Otherwise you’re heading into the break on the back of three consecutive defeats which is not a nice mind-set to be in heading into the break,” he said.

“That’s why I’m so annoyed at tonight because we’ve put ourselves in a horrible position of going to Derry and if we’re beaten it’ll be three defeats on the bounce.

“I have every faith in this squad and I think whatever situation we find ourselves in in the second half of the season we will be able to go and do what is required.

“But we’re making hard work of it and something out of next Friday’s game would be a big boost heading into that break.”