Dunne demands improvement from Galway FC

It was a measure of Galway FC manager Tommy Dunne’s expectations for the season that he was far from happy with his team’s performance on Friday night.

Despite recodring a 1-0 win over Waterford United, Dunne was disappointed by the attitude of the players after their heroics on the road against Longford Town and Premier Division leaders Dundalk over the previous two weekends and felt they should have dominated on home soil.

“We needed somebody to grab it by the scruff of the neck, somebody who was a little bit more aggressive, maybe, than the rest. We have good players and good leaders, but sometimes we might need a little bully in there as well. From that aspect, I don’t think we have any lads who are bullies at all,” said Dunne afterwards.

Even though the home side dominated the opening half, he was disappointed by how few chances they created against a Waterford side who had lost five of their previous six Airtricity League games.

The pressure was on Galway FC to deliver – instead, the home supporters were relieved to see them escape with all three points after rarely threatening Kevin Burns in the Waterford goals.

“We made hard work if it I think. In the first half we had a number of chances to be one or two up, without playing any way well in a sense,” said Dunne.

“In the second half, we were sloppy starting off and Conor Gleeson pulled off a penalty save. You get that luck and it’s ‘swings and roundabouts’ over the course of a season. Maybe we deserved it, but to be truthful I am a little bit disappointed with the performance.”

He said he expected his players to have “the urgency and the drive” to see off a Waterford side who are far from the strongest in the division, although he praised the work-rate of the youthful visitors.

“In fairness to Waterford, in the second half they tried to press us high up the pitch. For us as a team, you have to realise that when a team does certain things you have to counteract by doing something different. And we kept doing the same thing,” said Dunne.

“Waterford caused us a few problems. We are a team who are capable of playing both shorter and longer, especially with Jake Keegan in the team. Overall, we did not perform to the best we possibly could tonight, but I think the three points are most important.”

After being underdogs against both Longford and Dundalk, Dunne said he expected his players to cope with the status of favourites on Friday night.

“Between now and the end of the season, we cannot really be making mistakes, because we cannot afford to make mistakes. Having Waterford here at home, we have to pick up three points,” said the Galway boss.

“You have to take responsibility and be able to relish it. Tonight I did not feel we were up for the game in the way we should have been, in certain areas of the pitch. It’s ok being up for Longford and Dundalk, but these games will allow you to have bigger games in a season. So, for us as a group, we need to be able to take the pressure that comes with being favourites and deal with it.”

Dunne had hoped to see more variation in Galway’s play as Waterford continued to frustrate his side’s attacks and he was at least pleased that the home players kept their composure until Paddy Barrett got the all-important goal late in the first half.

On a positive note, they had taken all three points ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Shamrock Rovers ‘B’ and the home tie against Finn Harps on Saturday, September 20.

“We are in the mix, but you have to take the game on its merits and I feel we should have been better and we weren’t,” added Dunne.