Injury-hit Tribesmen upset the odds with unexpected win over Derry City

Derry City  0

Galway United  2

FIRST half goals from Padraic Cunningham and Jake Keegan saw Galway United claim a rare victory over Derry City at the Brandywell Stadium last Friday – a victory that allowed Tommy Dunne’s outfit to close the gap on opponents Derry and Longford Town in mid-table.

Although only United’s fourth league win over 24 appearances at the Brandywell, the visitors celebrated taking maximum points at the final whistle while the home side left the field to the sound of booing from their supporters.

Two goals within the space of four stunning first-half minutes proved to be Derry’s undoing as United, minus the services of nine first team players, opening their account in the 22nd minute when Padraic Cunningham drove the ball to the net from the edge of the area.

Four minutes later, Galway doubled their lead. Jake Keegan made a superb run in behind the Derry defence to meet Ryan Connolly’s free-kick and head the ball firmly home.

Things went from bad to worse for Derry City when ‘keeper Ger Doherty was forced off the field with a back injury in the 35th minute and youngster Shaun Patton was handed his league debut.

That was not the end of Derry’s goalkeeping problems though as their replacement had to be stretchered off on 68 minutes after a collision with United’s Gary Shanahan. Striker Anthony Elding donned the keeper’s jersey and he would later save brilliantly from a late Cunningham effort.

Indeed, in attack, Cunningham’s work rate, honesty and endeavour embodied everything positive about United’s performance on the night, with the willingness of the 18-year-old Headford native troubling experienced City centre-halves Ryan McBride and Shane McEleney.

Ryan Connolly’s set pieces had caused the hosts problems over the course of the contest and on the half-hour mark, his in-swinging corner kick unluckily smashed off the crossbar and rolled out of play.

As for Derry, goalscoring remains their Achilles heel at present. Nine goals in 12 league outings tells its own story. However, against a United defence which had midfielder Stephen Walsh at centre-back, right-back Colm Horgan shifted left and teenager Cormac Raftery on the right, they must have thought they could improve on that statastic.

Consequently, Derry started with two up front and it looked as if it might pay dividends when Mark Timlin’s early corner broke for Cillian Morrison who saw his goalbound shot bundled clear amid a crowd of bodies inside the Galway area. That was as good as it got from a home point of view though.

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