Lally takes charge of Galway Soccer XI for Port Vale game

Date Published: 23-Jul-2012

Keith Kelly

Tommy Lally makes a return in a managerial role to Terryland Park this Saturday, more than 20 on since he last took charge of a Galway team at the Dyke Road venue, when he manages a Galway Soccer XI that will take on Port Vale in a friendly as part of the English club’s preseason trip to Ireland (kick-off 7.30pm).

Lally, who served as caretaker manager of Galway United for a two-month spell from December 1991 to January 1992, returns to the dugout this Saturday to fulfil the wishes of Port Vale manager Mickey Adams, who made contact with the Galway FA looking to bring his side to Terryland Park for a game.

The former goalkeeper – who had a spell on the books of Glasgow Celtic, and led Galway United to their first FAI Cup final appearance in 1985 – is working alongside Derek O’Loughlin and Anthony Kelly for the game.

The Galway squad features 21 players from eight different clubs, with Mervue United providing the biggest contingent with six players, followed by East United, Corrib Rangers, West United and Galway Hibernians, who all have three players in the squad. The other clubs represented are Colga FC, Athenry and Salthill Devon, which each have one player named in the squad.

“When the Galway FA approached me about taking charge of the side, I contacted Derek O’Loughlin, who was in charge of last year’s Oscar Traynor Cup side, and asked him to pass on the names and numbers of players to me, and himself and Anthony Kelly have come on board to give me a hand.

“Unfortunately, not everyone from that squad was available between being away, work commitments, or being out injured, but any player we have contacted who could commit to the game has given us total commitment, and we are delighted with that,” Lally says.

By the time the game comes around, Lally says his squad will have had 11 training sessions, as well as two challenge games under their belts – they played the Galway United Supporters’ Trust FC U-19 trialists in Renmore at the weekend, and will play Salthill Devon’s U-19 side at the grounds of East United in Castle Park tonight.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.