Galway Utd run out of ideas in disappointing home loss

Galway United 0

Drogheda United 1

A new season, but a case of the same old story in so many respects as Galway United suffered an opening night defeat to Drogheda United last Friday in a game they should have – and needed to – win.

While utterly dominant for the opening 30 minutes or so, United failed to make their mark where it counted, and they paid for some poor finishing when the visitors grabbed a goal nine minutes from time that you sensed was coming, to put the final prick in the balloon of optimism around the home side.

It is far too early to be putting the gun to the backs of the management and players after just one performance, but the cushion of being able to give a new-look set-up the first round of games to find their feet is not available this time around, given that one quarter of the sides in the top division will be relegated at the end of the season.

Instead, the first five games looked a reasonable enough guide to judge the team and the outlook for the season, a quintet of fixtures involving games against three other sides tipped to struggle this season (Drogheda, Finn Harps, and Bohemians), and two expected to be more concerned with the business end of the table (Cork City and Shamrock Rovers). There isn’t much room for manoeuvre now, following Friday’s defeat.

A draw would probably have been a fair result on Friday night, but it is not a case that neither team deserved to lose the game, rather that neither deserved to win it. On the evidence, it is easy to see why both sides are tipped for the drop.

It could have been so different had United taken the lead in the third minute, rather than see Stephen McGuinness push Vinny Fahery’s close range effort up on to the crossbar with a save that was more of the reflexive variety than anything else.

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