Moran grabs the winner as Mervue tops in local derby

Mervue United 2

Renmore 1

By Mike Rafferty

THOUGH they were great rivals in times past, recent meeting have been rare as Renmore found themselves meandering about the lower divisions, but Sunday’s TP Brennan Connacht Junior Cup meeting proved that all is alive and well and certainly competitive in the neighbouring parishes.

Mervue United position of strength challenging for Premier Division honours is almost an annual feature, but it is just this season that Renmore can claim to have returned to a competitive level as they have streaked well clear at the top of the First Division and look odds on to return to the top flight after a prolonged absence.

On Sunday in Fahy’s Field, Renmore looked to be the better outfit for much of the exchanges and offered a greater threat in the last third of the park. However, scoring goals is an art in itself and in Barry Moran, Mervue United have one of the the best goal scorers that ever played in the local leagues.

He got one chance in the game and with a subtle header, delivered the match winner. In contrast, the visitors just didn’t have a finisher of the same quality to give them a reward for a good performance.

It was Renmore who broke the deadlock in the opening half when Harry Connolly headed in a Colie Ridge free kick and only for a terrific save by Lorcan Doyle, they would have added a second, when the goalkeeper denied Eoin O’Boyle.

The home side levelled matters just before the break with a rather fortuitous equaliser as a Keith McHigh free kick from half way took a deflection off Paddy Gannon for an own goal to tie up matters at 1-1.

While Renmore did the majority of the pressing in the second half, they seldom directly threatened Doyle’s goal. Florian Jouffre, Cathal O’Regan and Colie Ridge all went close as the visitors probing provided no reward.

In contrast, the home side notched the winner on 72 minutes, with their only shot on target in the half. Ciaran Foley, new signing Kevin Fitzpatrick and Simon Walsh provided all the style down the right and following the latter’s cross, Moran‘s header crept beyond Cillian Murphy to make it 2-1.

Within a minute, the visitors had legitimate penalty claims waved away by referee Brian Lynch when John Finnegan was upended in the box by Foley and all they got was an unfair booking for skipper Gannon as he took issue with the match official. A double whammy for Renmore, who can certainly feel hard done by with the decision.

They continued to force all the late pace, but the home side hung on as efforts by O’Regan, Kevin Connolly and a Colie Ridge free kick went east and west of the posts.

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