Dunne rings the changes but outcome still the same

Cork City 5

Galway United   3

Scoring three goals in a game should, you’d imagine, be enough to claim the win, but that wasn’t the case in Turners Cross on Tuesday night as the hosts hit five of their own to close the gap on Dundalk at the top of the table.

It is the other end of the table that Galway United find themselves in after a sixth defeat in either games, and having conceded four goals the previous Friday against Shamrock Rovers, it is plain where the problems are.

Kevin Devaney scored twice on Tuesday night, with Kilian Cantwell bagging the other for his first goal for the club, but for the 9th time in United’s history, they scored three times in a league game and still ended up losing.

It is the 7th time United lost 5-3 in the league – against Shelbourne in 1979/80 and 1990/91, Athlone in 1984/85, Bohemians in 1986/87, Bray in 2001/02, and Kildare in 2003 – while they also lost 7-3 against Thurles Town in 1981/82, and 4-3 against UCD back in 2011.

Tommy Dunne made four changes to the side beaten 4-2 by Shamrock Rovers the previous Friday, with Cantwell, Conor Winn, Conor Melody, and Vinny Faherty all coming into the side. Dunne also opted for a change in formation, playing 3-5-2 with centre-backs Cantwell – he is not a full-back – Stephen Folan, and Armin Aganovic as the back three.

The tactic backfired spectacularly, with the home side scoring four times in the opening half, forcing Dunne into two half-time changes to switch to a more conventional 4-4-2, which gave United a more cohesive look.

The home side opened the scoring in the 6th minute when Dave Mulcahy capitalised on a mistake by Winn – brought back into the side after a nightmare showing from Sam Ramsbottom against Rovers – to force the ball home.

They doubled their advantage in the 21st minute when Sean Maguire got on the end of a Kevin O’Connor cross to fire past Winn at the back post. United grabbed a lifeline when Cantwell rose highest to direct Ryan Connolly’s free-kick past Mark McNulty; but just as on Friday night, United conceded shortly after dragging themselves back into the game.

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