Dream start turns into a nightmare for struggling Utd

Date Published: {J}

St. Patrick’s Athletic 5

Galway United 2

Daire Walsh at

Richmond Park

GALWAY United continue their search for a second league victory in 2011 as they lost out to an impressively assembled St. Patrick’s Athletic outfit in Richmond Park on Monday evening.

Things could have been so different for Sean Connor’s men, having found themselves two goals to the good early on, but they were unable to fend off a strong comeback from the Inchicore side, as they now lie just three points above bottom club Drogheda United.

Playing with a traditional 4-4-2 formation, Galway looked up for the game in the early stages and took the game to their Dublin hosts. However, Pat’s were also looking dangerous in the early stages, and they were unlucky not to win a penalty just four minutes in when Daryl Kavanagh went down under a challenge from Stephen Walsh, but match referee Neil Doyle waved play on.

This came as something of a relief to the Tribesmen, and they took full advantage just five minutes later when Shane Keogh (starting up front alongside Alan Murphy) finished past Pat’s keeper Gary Rogers with the deftest of touches from a Brian Cash delivery on the right.

This came as something of a surprise to the home side, who wouldn’t have been expecting to fall behind at such an early stage, and it was the visitors who once again came up with the big moment on 19 minutes, as Murphy clinically dispatched his penalty to the back of the Pat’s net after his shot had been handled en route to goal by Paul Crowley.

This was turning into a potentially season-defining game for Galway, but it was early days yet, and two near misses by Derek Doyle proved just how dangerous the Saints could be. Indeed, it only seemed like a matter of time before Pat’s would peg back Galway’s lead, and so it was on 24 minutes, as Daryl Kavanagh finished coolly past Fleming after being put through in a one-on-one situation.

This lifted the spirit of the Pat’s players significantly and, as the half wore on, it appeared inevitable that Pat’s would draw level at some stage. Sean Kelly did go close for United with a 25-yard free-kick on 33 minutes, but there was no surprise when the second Pat’s goal arrived six minutes later, as Crowley made amends for giving away the earlier penalty by nodding past Fleming from a Bradley free on the right.

St. Pat’s were becoming more and more prominent in attack as the game progressed, and Evan McMillan was just wide of the mark from close-range with four minutes of the opening period remaining. They had to settle for a 2-2 scoreline at the break but, after the way they had started the game, this was a more than reasonable position for them to be in.

Galway Unitedwould have been disappointed with the way they let Pat’s back into the game after such a dream start, and they now had a real task on their hands if they were going to come away with a positive result from this encounter.

In the opening moments after the resumption, chances were proving to be few and far between, though Pat’s were enjoying the majority of the possession. Galway were battling well in defence though, and seemed capable of dealing with the approach play from the home side.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.