Galway FC thrash Shamrock Rovers B in league

The disappointing results of the past two weeks were firmly put to bed by Galway FC on Friday night as they ran out comfortable 5-0 winners over Shamrock Rovers B to cement their place in the promotion play-off positions.

The win – along with victories for both Longford Town and Shelbourne – has seen the three clubs form a little breakaway at the top of the league, and while there are still 12 games to play, it looks like that trio will fight it out for the one automatic promotion spot and the two play-off spots at the end of the season.

An eight match unbeaten run was brought to a shuddering halt by Longford a fortnight ago, and when Galway let a lead slip against 10-man Waterford United last week, it looked like the wheels were starting to wobble a little.

The fact, then, that it was Shamrock Rovers’ reserve side which rolled in to town on Friday night meant the home side could get their season back on track, and they did so in style with a brace apiece from Vinny Faherty and Jake Keegan, while Enda Curran marked his debut from the bench with a goal as well.

Manager Tommy Dunne was delighted with the win, but he said that despite keeping a clean sheet, he still wasn’t happy with the defensive aspect of his side’s performance, and he is hoping to bring in a couple of defenders during this July transfer window.

“I still think we need to tighten things up, I think if we do, we can give everyone a match, but we have to work on that side of it. It is a difficult one to work on as it looks to me like individual errors rather than a collective, but overall we are in the hunt,” Dunne said.

Galway FC: Hanley; Horgan, Byrne, Walsh, Ludden (Curran 69); Shanahan, Sinnott, Connolly, Molloy (Egan 72); Faherty (Cunningham), Keegan.

Shamrock Rovers B: O’Malley; Traynor (Tiernan 78), Browne, Heaney, Kehoe; Confrey (Yusuff 61), Watson, Boyne, Lyons, Purdy (Kavanagh 61); Onwubiko.

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick).