Galway Utd 1 Shamrock Rovers 3:DOWN BY the banks of the Corrib Shamrock Rovers are still viewed as a prized scalp. And following a dynamic Hoops display that was peppered with three tasty Gary Twigg goals it was easy to see why.

Since Galway United made a controversial return to the higher echelons of the domestic game in 2007 Rovers have enjoyed several bountiful evenings against Galway, winning four and drawing the other two in the half-dozen encounters.

And after the opening 20 minutes Rovers had assumed a commanding position courtesy of Twigg’s opportunistic brace. Four minutes in Twigg nodded an immaculate header beyond Barry Ryan’s despairing lunge following Dessie Baker’s assist.

Baker, craving involvement throughout, was involved in the 17th-minute second when his chip wasn’t gathered by Ryan with Twigg reacting briskly to drill the visitors two ahead.

There was a refreshing honesty to Galway’s second-half approach, and a goal was filched in the 55th minute. Jay O’Shea’s corner elicited panic in the Rovers area, Alan Murphy claimed possession and fed Vinny Faherty, who supplied a crisp finish.

Inevitably Rovers summoned a response, and Twigg bundled home Seanie O’Connor’s 63rd-minute corner at the back post.

GALWAY UNITED: Ryan; Conneely, Guthrie, Breen, Daveron; O’Shea, McBrien (Edwards, 46 mins), Kelly, Murphy (Cooke, 72 mins), O’Brien; Faherty.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Duggan; Treacy, Webb, Maguire, Cahill; Robinson, Cameron, Rice, O’Connor (Madden, 77 mins); Baker (Purcell, 81), Twigg (Amond, 86 mins).

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).