Soccer
Galway FC boss wants charges to convert their chances
GALWAY FC manager Tommy Dunne says there are no excuses for his side’s performance against Finn Harps last Friday night, but insists there is no point in looking back and instead he and his players are focussed on taking all three points from their trip to St Colman’s Park tonight to face Cobh Ramblers (7.45pm).
Dunne admits to being disappointed at not getting the win last Friday night against ten men, and says that his side needs to start taking their opportunities and win games when they are in position to do so, but he says that game is now in the past, and the focus is on the future.
“It was disappointing not to get the three points with the way the game panned out, but the last two games have been a learning curve for us.Against Shamrock Rovers, we had to play with ten men; and last week, it was reversed when we faced 10-men – we should have won both games, but hopefully the players will learn from the different scenarios,” Dunne said yesterday.
He says that once again he has had to drive home the message to his players that they need to start taking their opportunities, and that while there are still plenty of games left, the time for excuses has come to an end.
“There is no use crying over spilled milk, those games are gone but we have got to start taking our opportunities. It is disappointing we didn’t pick up two wins in the last two games, but we have got to look forward, and not back,” he said.
When it is put to him that his side had moved a point closer to Wexford Youths in second-place, and hadn’t lost ground on Shelbourne, who were held by Shamrock Rovers, Dunne takes a different approach.
“It was an opportunity lost – if we won, we would have closed the gap on Shels and moved above Wexford into second, but that’s the way football goes. Look, there is a long way to go yet and please God we’ll be up there at the end of the season, but when you are in a position to win a game, you need to go and win it,” he says.
The manager is looking for his side to get back to winning ways tonight when they visit a Cobh side that is cut adrift at the foot of the table, with two draws and eight defeats from the ten games they have played.
Those two points have both come at home, the Cork side sharing the spoils with both Shamrock Rovers B and Waterford United at St Colman’s Park, and Dunne is expecting a tough challenge tonight.
“Cobh is a really tough ground, every team will tell you that, and they are fighting hard, but I fully expect us to go down there and take the three points,” says Dunne, whose own side make the trip on the back of a six-game unbeaten run. See full preview in this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Friday the 13th – unlucky for some – and Galway United will be hoping it is an unlucky night for runaway leaders Shelbourne on Friday evening. Shels, who are currently 10 points clear of second place United, are still unbeaten in this year’s First Division with 12 wins and six draws to their name.
The Tribesmen go into this week’s pivotal fixture after a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Cork City last Friday at Eamonn Deacy Park. The game had a ‘hit-and-run’ feel to it as Colin Healy’s side snatched all three points with ten minutes to go which ended United’s seven-game unbeaten league run.
BY TOM BYRNE
Even so, United replaced Treaty United in second place on goal difference after the Limerick outfit were defeated 4-1 by Cabinteely at the Markets Field.
Shelbourne have been the team to beat this season as they look odds-on to win this season’s First Division with nine games to go. Ian Morris’ side were hampered by a number of Covid cases in their squad for last week’s game against UCD, where they drew 0-0 at the UCD Bowl. It is expected that they will have players returning for their crucial clash against United at Terryland.
The two clubs have faced each other on 75 occasions. Shelbourne being victorious the more often with 39 wins, United defeating the north-Dubliners 17 times and 19 games ending in stalemate. United have hit the Shels net 86 times while the 2019 First Division winners have scored on 132 occasions against United.
The two teams played out a 0-0 draw at Eamonn Deacy Park in the first game this season, while Shelbourne had the upper hand in the reverse fixture when they overcame United 4-0 at Tolka Park in May.
Goal friendly Shels have struck 36 goals in 18 games so far this campaign, with former Shamrock Rovers man Ryan Brennan bagging ten of those. United will look to Wilson Waweru and Ruairi Keating for their main source of goals, with the latter hitting the net on seven occasions this season. Waweru brought his goal tally to six last week when he scored United’s first equalising goal against Cork City.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the soccer preview, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.
Galway United 2
Athlone Town 2
GALWAY United had to twice come from behind against basement side Athlone Town on Monday night to snatch a draw that was, on balance, probably a little harsh on the visiting side.
Completely outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, United had an absolute howler from visiting goalkeeper, Aaron Myles, to thank for going into the break on level terms; and then needed an equaliser five minutes from time to claim a draw against a side that came into the game having lost all four games they had played this season.
Alan Murphy’s side already find themselves nine points behind the league leaders just four games into the season, and a major improvement is needed if they are to finish in the top half of the table and inside the play-off spots.
Their central midfield was way off the mark on Monday night – both Maurice Nugent and Sam Warde were hauled ashore before the final whistle – and having abandoned the 4-4-2 formation which delivered some decent results near the end of last season, they are struggling to get quality ball into the opposition box.
With Shane Duggan expected to return to central midfield after suspension for this Saturday’s trip to Cobh Ramblers, it might be time to go with some out-and-out wingers and get some cohesion in the side.
The first couple of half chances on Monday fell to the home side, but Mikey Place didn’t get any power behind his second minute effort; while Marc Ludden was well off target subsequently.
The visitors, who had the opening half’s best player in their ranks in the guise of Galway native, Ronan Manning, went close a couple of times themselves in the ninth minute, United surviving thanks to Cian Murphy getting a block on Adam Lennon’s shot; while Kevin Horgan pulled off a ‘worldie’ to deny Joel Coustrain from the subsequent corner.
By that stage, the visitors were starting to get on top, and they took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute when Manning’s corner from the left was met by Taner Dogan at the back post to head home as the United marking was, not for the first time this season, shambolic at a set-piece.
Tempers were starting to fray a little, with both sides having two players finding their way into the notebook of Dublin referee, Oliver Moran, before United were gifted an equaliser in the 41st minute.
Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune
Paul Corcorcan
GALWAY WFC notched a second win in a row in the Women’s National League when they defeated Limerick 6-1 at the Markets Field on Sunday afternoon.
A McKenna Doyle hat trick and goals from Sadbh Doyle, Chloe Singleton and Aoife Thompson helped the Galway women to a resounding win. Five of the six goals for Galway were assisted by Lynsey McKey during what was a stellar performance by the experienced midfielder.
Galway WFC are back in action at Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow (Saturday, kick off 3pm) when they welcome league leaders Peamount United.
See full match report in City Tribune Sport.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
