Soccer
Big cash boost to help Galway Utd rise from ashes
Galway United is set to rise from the ashes and return to the League of Ireland next year after it emerged this week that a major financial boost – worth in the region of €100,000 a year for three years – is close to being delivered for soccer in Galway.
While the FAI has denied that any deal has been struck, a spokesperson admitted that discussions in relation to a three-year cash injection for a single Galway side were at “an advanced stage” and it was hopeful that everything would be in place for unified team in the 2014 League of Ireland season.
“It is very positive, but there is still a lot of work to be done. It is not true to say that anything has been agreed, there is a lot of devil in the detail yet, and it is disappointing that this has been reported with the deal yet to be finalised, but we are very happy with how matters are progressing,” the spokesperson said.
It is believed the deal is being brokered with the Comer brothers, who are originally from Glenamaddy and were approached by the CEO of the FAI, John Delaney, about backing a single Galway team to compete in the League of Ireland.
Discussions have been ongoing for a number of months, and it is believed some of the intricacies of the deal were hammered out at a meeting between Delaney and the Comers at last month’s Cheltenham Racing Festival.
While there has been senior soccer in the city in the past two seasons with Mervue United and Salthill Devon playing in the First Division, the failure to have a side representative of the whole of Galway has resulted in small attendances because of the ‘parochial’ nature of the clubs.
That prompted the FAI to order a review of the soccer situation in Galway last year, which culminated in the publication of the O’Connor Report last October.
The report was written after discussions with the main stakeholders in the game in Galway – the Galway FA, the Galway United Supporters’ Trust (GUST), Mervue United and Salthill Devon – and recommended that a single team should represent Galway City and County in the League of Ireland.
“The report notes the long term systematic weakness of having any more than one senior club in a city of Galway’s size on both sporting and commercial grounds and recommends a phased approach towards the resolution of this matter,” the FAI said at the time.
“This includes the eventual setting up a Connacht Senior League, and a Board for the single Galway club composed of a broad spectrum of football and business interests in the Galway area.”
That resulted in the FAI facilitating a series of meetings with the four main stakeholders in Galway, and a meeting held in the city last night was to hear the details of the proposed backing from the Comer brothers.
“If the reports are true, then there is something there for everyone to work with, and it is up to those who are interested to become involved in the new team,” said Joe Keating, Chairman of the Galway FA, on Wednesday.
“From a Galway FA point of view, we feel we have a wonderful facility in Eamonn Deacy Park, and would be anxious to have a Galway team playing there next season. There is nothing in writing yet, and until there is, we don’t want to comment much further. Any decisions we make have to have the backing of our 47 member clubs, but this is good news for a Galway team going forward,” he said.
A spokesperson for Salthill Devon said that, while they had heard some details of the reported deal, nothing was confirmed as of yet, and until it was, there was very little that could be said on the matter.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Friday the 13th – unlucky for some – and Galway United will be hoping it is an unlucky night for runaway leaders Shelbourne on Friday evening. Shels, who are currently 10 points clear of second place United, are still unbeaten in this year’s First Division with 12 wins and six draws to their name.
The Tribesmen go into this week’s pivotal fixture after a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Cork City last Friday at Eamonn Deacy Park. The game had a ‘hit-and-run’ feel to it as Colin Healy’s side snatched all three points with ten minutes to go which ended United’s seven-game unbeaten league run.
BY TOM BYRNE
Even so, United replaced Treaty United in second place on goal difference after the Limerick outfit were defeated 4-1 by Cabinteely at the Markets Field.
Shelbourne have been the team to beat this season as they look odds-on to win this season’s First Division with nine games to go. Ian Morris’ side were hampered by a number of Covid cases in their squad for last week’s game against UCD, where they drew 0-0 at the UCD Bowl. It is expected that they will have players returning for their crucial clash against United at Terryland.
The two clubs have faced each other on 75 occasions. Shelbourne being victorious the more often with 39 wins, United defeating the north-Dubliners 17 times and 19 games ending in stalemate. United have hit the Shels net 86 times while the 2019 First Division winners have scored on 132 occasions against United.
The two teams played out a 0-0 draw at Eamonn Deacy Park in the first game this season, while Shelbourne had the upper hand in the reverse fixture when they overcame United 4-0 at Tolka Park in May.
Goal friendly Shels have struck 36 goals in 18 games so far this campaign, with former Shamrock Rovers man Ryan Brennan bagging ten of those. United will look to Wilson Waweru and Ruairi Keating for their main source of goals, with the latter hitting the net on seven occasions this season. Waweru brought his goal tally to six last week when he scored United’s first equalising goal against Cork City.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the soccer preview, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
Galway United 2
Athlone Town 2
GALWAY United had to twice come from behind against basement side Athlone Town on Monday night to snatch a draw that was, on balance, probably a little harsh on the visiting side.
Completely outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, United had an absolute howler from visiting goalkeeper, Aaron Myles, to thank for going into the break on level terms; and then needed an equaliser five minutes from time to claim a draw against a side that came into the game having lost all four games they had played this season.
Alan Murphy’s side already find themselves nine points behind the league leaders just four games into the season, and a major improvement is needed if they are to finish in the top half of the table and inside the play-off spots.
Their central midfield was way off the mark on Monday night – both Maurice Nugent and Sam Warde were hauled ashore before the final whistle – and having abandoned the 4-4-2 formation which delivered some decent results near the end of last season, they are struggling to get quality ball into the opposition box.
With Shane Duggan expected to return to central midfield after suspension for this Saturday’s trip to Cobh Ramblers, it might be time to go with some out-and-out wingers and get some cohesion in the side.
The first couple of half chances on Monday fell to the home side, but Mikey Place didn’t get any power behind his second minute effort; while Marc Ludden was well off target subsequently.
The visitors, who had the opening half’s best player in their ranks in the guise of Galway native, Ronan Manning, went close a couple of times themselves in the ninth minute, United surviving thanks to Cian Murphy getting a block on Adam Lennon’s shot; while Kevin Horgan pulled off a ‘worldie’ to deny Joel Coustrain from the subsequent corner.
By that stage, the visitors were starting to get on top, and they took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute when Manning’s corner from the left was met by Taner Dogan at the back post to head home as the United marking was, not for the first time this season, shambolic at a set-piece.
Tempers were starting to fray a little, with both sides having two players finding their way into the notebook of Dublin referee, Oliver Moran, before United were gifted an equaliser in the 41st minute.
Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune
Paul Corcorcan
GALWAY WFC notched a second win in a row in the Women’s National League when they defeated Limerick 6-1 at the Markets Field on Sunday afternoon.
A McKenna Doyle hat trick and goals from Sadbh Doyle, Chloe Singleton and Aoife Thompson helped the Galway women to a resounding win. Five of the six goals for Galway were assisted by Lynsey McKey during what was a stellar performance by the experienced midfielder.
Galway WFC are back in action at Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow (Saturday, kick off 3pm) when they welcome league leaders Peamount United.
See full match report in City Tribune Sport.
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