Stalemate in Connacht derby as Utd fail to take chances

Sligo Rovers 1

Galway United   1

Galway United’s perfect start to the season was ended in the Connacht derby on Monday night, but heaven knows how they didn’t end their 20-year wait for a league win at the Showgrounds as they completely dominated the 90 minutes.

They had a nightmare start, conceding after just 48 seconds, but once they regained their composure their was only one team in it. United hit the woodwork twice, and forced Sligo ’keeper Michéal Schlingermann into a number of saves, but in truth their finishing was shockingly poor in letting a shockingly-poor home side off the hook, and this was definitely a case of two points dropped.

Tommy Dunne made one change to the side that defeated Bray Wanderers on Friday night, returning Ruairi Keating to the starting XI in place of Enda Curran as he reverted to the side that started against St Patrick’s Athletic on the opening night of the season.

They came into the game full of confidence, but disaster struck when they fell behind after just 48 seconds. Awarded a throw-in on the left, Stephen Walsh looked to pick out John Sullivan but the pair got their wires crossed, and the ball went straight to Liam Martin.

He cut inside before trying his luck from 25 yards. The shot was straight at Conor Winn, and while it moved a bit in the air, it shouldn’t have given the ’keeper any problems, but as he dived to gather, the ball bounced past him for a marshmallow-soft goal

United had a decent chance to level matters a minute later when Connolly sent Devaney away down the left. He cut back inside on to his favoured right foot before swinging in a cross, but an unsighted Gary Shanahan could only head over from six yards out.

As the half wore on, the visitors eased themselves into the game, and they really could have been level midway through the half only for two fine saves by Schlingermann.

He firstly denied Connolly’s 25-yard shot on the half-volley in the 24th minute, pushing away the rasping effort for a corner; before somehow keeping out a Vinny Faherty close-range shot a minute later, though he was helped by the lack of power in the United man’s effort.

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