A dramatic penalty shootout saved Galway United’s blushes and saw them advance to the last eight of the Men’s FAI Cup following an entertaining affair with Bray Wanderers at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday.

Successful spot kicks from David Hurley, Frantz Pierrot, Jimmy Keohane, Lee Devitt and Dylan Connolly was enough to secure John Caulfield’s charges passage into next round.

The result sees Galway get one step further to their first cup final appearance since 1991.

In truth, this contest was a game of two halves in normal time, with the home side dominating the first half, and the visitors dictating matters in the second period. While extra-time was simply end to end.

Unlike many of their other games this season, the westerners did control possession for large spells, especially in that opening 45 minutes.

Despite this defeat, Paul Heffernan’s charges will be pleased with their performance and their season so far, as they sit in second place in the First Division.

To their credit, a youthful Bray side were brave in possession throughout and took a number of risks when building attacks from the back.

The first real chance of the game fell to the hosts however in the 18^th minute, but Hurley saw his left footed effort crash off Rian Hogan’s crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. This effort was one of three occasions where the men in maroon hit the woodwork.

Just prior to that chance, the 2023 First Division champions had a penalty claim waved away by referee, Paul McLoughlin, after Kris Twardek took a tumble in the Wicklow side’s penalty box.

Francely Lomboto was next to go close for the hosts just over five minutes later, but his scuffed effort was saved by Hogan. Their best chance of the half though would fall to Stephen Walsh in the 35^th minute but his bullet header glanced off the crossbar.

The visitors grew into the game as the half went on, and they threatened the home side on the counter. Ex-Waterford man, Ben McCormack had their best chance of the half, but his strike was deflected over Hugo da Cunha’s crossbar.

Overall, this game on corrib side lacked quality until the final 20 minutes of normal time, with both teams lacking directness and creativity until then.

Unlike the start of the opening half, Wanderers more than matched their more experienced opponents at the beginning of the second period, and they almost grabbed the lead with just over 25 minutes remaining, when former Galway defender, Dean O’Shea had a whipped effort just raise over the bar.

The 1999 cup champions maintained that good start to the half for the remainder of the contest, and incredibly, the underdogs grabbed the lead with 10 minutes remaining.  

Substitute, Tyreik Sammy picked up the ball on the right flank, and he curled a delightful left footed effort past Hugo da Cunha from 20 yards out, to spark wild celebrations in the Bray dugout.

United showed all their experience after going behind, and they levelled matters six minutes later, when Cork native, Hurley crashed the ball home from outside the penalty area, to the relief of the home support.

Thes best chance of extra-time fell to Galway substitute, Frantz Pierrot, but he failed to poke his chance home, in the first period of the additional 30 minutes.

In the shootout, Galway dispatched all their penalties well, while for Bray, they missed their second penalty, as Richard Ferizaj’s effort was saved by da Cunha. The tribesmen never looked back from there, with Connolly scoring Galway’s final and winning penalty kick.

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