Dunne unhappy with seven week gap in home games

The CEO of the FAI, John Delaney, infamously referred to the League of Ireland in October 2014 as a “difficult child” in the Irish football family. Whatever about the accuracy of such a statement, the simple fact of the matter is the FAI has not done enough to address the problems in the domestic league, the latest example of which is the fixtures farce this week.

With the sides having just returned from a two-week midseason break, Galway United, Sligo Rovers, and Finn Harps all find themselves kicking their heels this coming weekend due to the Europa League involvement of Shamrock Rovers, Cork City, and St Patrick’s Athletic.

The postponement of United’s home game with Shamrock Rovers this coming Friday night means the club will have gone seven weeks without a home game by the time Wexford Youths visit Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday July 22, and manager Tommy Dunne says the scheduling is something that needs to be looked at.

“We don’t have a home game for seven weeks – how is a club supposed to survive with that? I had Dave Robertson on to us from Sligo [Rovers] asking would we play them in their ground this weekend as they won’t have a game for six weeks themselves due to game being postponed, its ridiculous stuff.

“That’s okay if you’re not relying on gates, but for most clubs, a big part of their budget is gate receipts. Shamrock Rovers would bring a big crowd down to Galway on a Friday, but that game now will be a Monday or a Tuesday – are we going to get the same crowd? Will we be compensated?” Dunne asked.

He was speaking after watching his side come from behind to share the spoils with Bohemians last Friday night, and admitted that while his side were on top in the first-half, their composure let them down somewhat in the second-half, so he felt a point apiece was a reasonable outcome.

“In the first half I thought we were the better side, we had some great chances and some good play. Their keeper did quite well, and we had a chance with Ryan, he was in front of goal and passed it – it was a great strike by John, but if Ryan hits it he has the whole goal to aim,” Dunne said.

He was referring to an incident in the 14th minute when Ryan Connolly broke into the Bohs penalty area, but with only Dean Delany to beat, he opted to square the ball to John Sullivan on his right, which narrowed the angle and gave Sullivan less of a target, giving Delany a routine save to make.

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