Triple whammy at Terryland rocks Derry

Date Published: 20-Oct-2009

GALWAY United put their recent poor performance against Sligo Rovers firmly to one side on Friday night as they completely outclassed high-flying Derry City in one of the best games in Terryland Park this season.

United scored three and could have had at least three more in a win that sees them inch closer to safety with just four games left, and manager Ian Foster will be hoping they carry Friday night’s form into tonight’s game with Drogheda United in United Park.

Both sides were forced into changes from their defeats the previous week. United were without skipper John Russell, who has been struggling with an ankle injury for the past number of weeks, while Mark O’Toole’s season has come to an early end after having surgery on a hand injury.

Cian McBrien came into midfield in place of Russell, while Iarflaith Davoren’s return from a lengthy absence with a hamstring strain was timely, as he slotted seamlessly into the defence in place of O’Toole. Seamus Conneely, who was away on international duty with the Irish U-21 side, also came back into the side, with Paul Sinnott dropping to the bench.

The visitors also made changes at left back and midfield, with Ciaran Martyn coming in for the injured Kevin Deery, while Ger O’Brien replaced James McClean at left back.

United lacked any belief against Sligo Rovers a week earlier, but Foster had his side switched on from the start on Friday night, and the home side were the first to threaten, Derek O’Brien scooping a shot wide under pressure with less than a minute on the clock.

The game started at a frenetic pace, real end-to-end stuff, and the visitors were next to threaten, Tam McManus beating the offside trap on the right to race onto Gareth McGlynn’s through-ball, but he scuffed his shot across goal and wide when hitting the target was the minimum expected.

Ruaidhri Higgins began to dominate the midfield exchanges as the visitors took a stranglehold on the game, but United…