Bragging rights for Mervue Utd as Shanahan goal settles it

SALTHILL DEVON  0 MERVUE UNITED 1

 THIS may well have been the final instalment of Galway derbies in the League of Ireland and Mervue United had the final say against Salthill Devon at chilly Drom on Friday night thanks to Gary Shanahan’s first-half header.

 Speculation all week was rife once more over the existence of these two city clubs in next season’s First Division, but on the pitch the show went on. Mervue looked keen to grab the early initiative, with Ryan Manning testing James Keane with a crisp drive and Keane did well to also stop the follow-up effort from Manning’s strike partner in Michael Duffy.

 Salthill gradually began to enjoy more of the ball as wing men Oscar Sibanda and Craig Harding looked lively, with Michael Harty steadying affairs in the centre upon his return from suspension.

 Manning continued to look dangerous for the visitors but the offside flag stopped him in his tracks on a couple of occasions, as Mervue continued to press for an opener but Devon held their guard.

 The game was stop-start following the opening period as Mervue won a free-kick on the edge of the box but Jason Molloy’s effort crashed off the Salthill wall and was cleared.

 At the other end, a Harding cross from a free was headed goalwards by Timmy Molloy but he was penalised for leaning on his marker, and on the half hour mark Mervue hit the front.

 A Marc Ludden throw on the left wing deep in Devon’s half was immediately hooked into the box by Manning where Gary Shanahan rose to head the ball into the bottom corner to give Keane no chance.

 This seemed to give Salthill a bit of bite they needed and after shooting wide moments beforehand, Craig Harding’s stinging shot from the edge of the dangerz one was well saved by Ger Hanley, who recently re-joined Mervue from Shelbourne. Mervue went in with the edge at the break, but Salthill were certainly not out of the contest.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.