Galway United hit for six for the second time this season

Date Published: {J}

Dundalk United 6

Galway United 1

Galway United were hit for six at the weekend for the second time this season as Dundalk ran riot in Oriel Park to extend United’s losing run to 15 games in all competitions.

It wasn’t United’s heaviest defeat of the season – they lost 6-0 in the Brandywell in May – but that is of no comfort for a side who have now conceded a staggering 54 goals in 20 league matches to sit firmly rooted to the foot of the table, six points behind Drogheda United and with a hugely inferior goal difference of -45, compared to Drogheda’s -25.

Friday’s game was over by half-time as the home side took a three-goal into the break, and bar a sole reply from Gary Kelly in the 57th minute, the second half was just as bad for United who conceded another three goals as their wretched run of form continued with little sign of respite.

Sean Connor’s side host UCD in Terryland Park this coming Friday night, and given the gap between United and Drogheda, and the sides respective goal differences, the feeling is anything but a win against The Students on Friday night will see United consigned to a relegation play-off against the side that finishes third in the First Division at the end of the season.

That is the one safety net for United, the fact that there will not be any automatic relegation at the end of the season. With the Premier Division being expanded to 12 teams for next season, the top two in the First Division will be promoted, with third playing the bottom side in the Premier Division for the 12th spot in the top flight.

Even with 16 games still remaining, United look odds-on to be involved in that play-off unless there is a dramatic turnaround in their fortunes, particularly at home where United have taken just one point from 10 games, and scored just three goals.

As for Friday, United were under pressure from the start but were coping relatively well with an inexperienced side until the concession of two goals just before the break effectively ended the tie.

Greg Bolger fired the home side into the lead in the 20th minute with his first goal for the club, although his strike did take a wicked deflection to beat Greg Fleming in the United goal. Dundalk worked the ball down the left for Mark Quigley to lay the ball off for Bolger, who fired home.

United had started brightly, and had early appeals for a penalty when Mikey Gilmore capitalised on a mix-up between Shane Guthrie and Peter Cherrie to nick possession in the box only to go to ground under a challenge from Cherrie, but referee Paul McLoughlin waved play on.

However most of the action was at the other end, with Ross Gaynor causing United a number of difficulties down the left, but the homer side failed to make their dominance until count until Bolger’s opener in the 20th minute.

For more. read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.