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Galway teams can’t cope with step up in class

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Keith Kelly 

GALWAY interest in this year’s FAI Cup competition ended on Friday night as both Mervue United and Salthill Devon suffered 2-0 defeats which leaves them to concentrate on the league – for possibly the very last time – for the rest of the season.

When the draw was made the clash of Bray Wanderers and Mervue United looked the most likely to produce a shock result, as Bray were floundering at the bottom of the top flight, while Mervue were enjoying their best-ever start to a campaign.

However, in the weeks since that draw was made, Bray have turned their season around with three wins out of four in the league, while at the same time that Mervue have hit a mini-slump with three defeats on the bounce going into last Friday night’s clash in the Carlisle Grounds – and any hope of that shock result manifesting were ended midway through the first-half when the home side had opened a two goal cushion to assume total control of the tie.

“I’m disappointed, but certainly not disheartened. Bray are a very good side, they have shown that with their recent results, and they are certainly a far better team than Longford Town, who are leading our division.

“There was a big gulf there between the sides, but my lads never gave up, they kept trying, they kept working hard, and they’ll learn from playing against of Bray’s experience, of playing against the likes of Jason Byrne and Gary Dempsey,” Mervue manager Johnny Glynn said after the game.

Mervue were missing a few experienced players of their own, with Gary Curran (knee) and Marc Ludden (stomach bug) both ruled out; while Glynn decided that, having told Noel Varley he was being rested for the tie, it would have been wrong to turn to him in light of Ludden’s absence.

However the absence Mervue most felt on Friday night was Mike Elwood, who has emigrated to the US – the game would have suited his physicality, and you suspect two-goal strike Jason Byrne would not have had matters so easy with Elwood shadowing him.

“We had a very young team out there, and they did well. Gary Shanahan was full of running, his end product wasn’t what it should be, but he is just hitting peak fitness now as he didn’t have a pre-season, so I’m expecting him to continue to improve.

“Ryan Manning did well when he came on, the only thing is we didn’t get the ball to him often enough. I thought we looked most threatening when playing the ball to feet, but we didn’t do it often enough. You have to give credit to Bray as well, they are a very good team who played a patient game and had their homework done.

CITY TRIBUNE

Galway United’s chance to close gap on table-toppers Shels

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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.

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Connacht Tribune

Lomboto’s late strike earns United share of the spoils

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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

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CITY TRIBUNE

Doyle bags hat-trick in Galway WFC romp

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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.

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