Nine-man Galway United fall to bottom of the table again

Shelbourne 3

Galway United  0

GALWAY United slumped once again to the foot of the First Division table after falling to a seventh defeat in nine games, this time at the hands of Shelbourne on Friday night.

As well as conceding three goals, United also had two players sent off in the game as a season that started with optimism has quickly turned into one of dread.

United fans on an internet forum are split over United’s dreadful start to the season. Some are calling for calm and issuing reminders about the fact there was no Galway United for two seasons back at the start of the decade, and that patience is required as Alan Murphy and company go about trying to rebuild the club.

Others are decrying the use of excuses such as it being a young squad, and the rebuilding process, as being a smokescreen for a set-up that is malfunctioning, but whatever side you fall on, the numbers are stark: nine games played, two wins and seven defeats; no wins at home from five games; and a steady decrease in home gates as a result.

It all leads to United’s most important game in years this Friday when they host Wexford in a battle of the bottom two: lose, and United will be cut adrift and will have some tough decisions to make; or win, which could see them jump two places in the table and instil a bit of confidence in the side.

They will be without both Dara Costelloe and club captain, Stephen Walsh, for Friday’s game after both were given their marching orders against Shelbourne on Friday, the first time since the March 2015 2-1 defeat to Longford Town that United had two players sent off in a game.

Walsh was also a transgressor back then, along with Sam Oji, and his dismissal on Friday night capped a brain-dead five minute spell for the visitors, who were already a goal down when they were reduced first to 10 men, and then to nine two minutes later.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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