SD Galway and Mervue Utd meet in Terryland

Date Published: 10-Aug-2012

 WHILE Ireland boxer Michael Conlon will be fighting for an Olympic gold medal tonight, SD Galway and Mervue United will go head to head for the third time this season in the Airtricity League (7.45pm).

Given the mediocre to low status of these two teams in the LOI First Division – they currently occupy the bottom two places on the table – it would be a surprise if a crowd of any sort turn out for this one in Terryland Park.

That is no disrespect to either Mervue United or SD Galway, but, again, given the quality of Olympic fare on the box, this fixture is sure to test the commitment of even the most die-hard of supporters.

In any event, both teams head into this derby on the back of 2-0 defeats, with Mervue going down at home to promotion chasing Waterford United and SD Galway losing out to Finn Harps in Ballybofey.

Still, for Mervue’s part, they at least have some form heading into this one following impressive victories over Athlone Town (2-0) and Wexford Youths (1-2) in their previous two games.

Mervue carried in similar form into their last meeting against Salthill Devon, only for the rebranded outfit to audaciously plunder all three league points at Fahy’s Field with a shock 2-1 win.

United’s Pat Hoban had given the home side the lead in that gripping contest but substitute Eugene Greaney subsequently struck for the equaliser for SD Galway before Timmy Molloy shot the winner just a minute from time. That result, coincidentally, has been SD Galway’s only victory in 20 league outings.

That said, Tony Mannion’s SD Galway, who will be without the suspended David Meehan for this one, have yet to lose to Mervue in the league this season after their first meeting of 2012 finished in an exciting 2-2 draw at Terryland Park.

SD Galway did, however, take a beating from Johnny Glynn’s outfit in the FAI Cup clash in May, with, again, Hoban among the scorers, along with Etanda Nkololo, in a comfortable 2-0 Mervue second round victory.

No doubt, this should provide some entertaining fare given the history between these two great rivals, recent and not so recent. Sadly, though, what should be an attractive local football fixture will most likely be met with abject apathy by the sporting public when the game kicks off this evening.