Galway United back on track

Bray Wanderers 1

Galway United 2

GALWAY United manager Tommy Dunne had demanded a clean sheet from his team ahead of Saturday’s Premier Division tie at the Carlisle Grounds after a couple of sloppy defensive displays  – and he almost got what he was looking for.

Hosts Bray Wanderers had been kept scoreless until the 91st minute but, by that stage, United virtually had the two points in the bag in reclaiming fifth place in the Premier Division table.

Eric Foley and a quality effort from Marc Ludden had put United in the driving seat and while Andrew Lewis pulled a goal back in stoppage time, it was too little too late for struggling Bray who slumped to a fourth successive defeat.

However, the Wicklow club should really should have taken the lead inside two minutes. Ryan Brennan put Hugh Douglas’ cross back across goal to set up Ger Pender who somehow contrived to shoot wide with the net at his mercy.

Gradually, Galway took a hold in midfield and Bray keeper Peter Cherrie got away with a clearance that hit Ruairi Keating to go wide before the westerners struck for the lead goal on 19 minutes.

Vinny Flaherty was fouled by Douglas to win a free kick which Foley despatched superbly, finding the far top corner of the Bray Wanderers’ net. It might have been 2-0 four minutes later but for Ruairi Keating blazing over off target after Ludden’s ball over the top put him through.

United remained on top with Cherrie, despite appearing to be struggling with a slight injury, doing well to push a shot from Keating round his left-hand post after Colm Horgan beat a defender on the right to set him up.

Subsequently, it was Cherrie’s opposite number, Conor Winn, who ensured that United remained ahead at the interval with a terrific double save on 42 minutes.

Firstly, Winn batted away a Brennan shot with one hand, but the ball fell straight to midfielder Robbie Creepy whose header was then touched onto his crossbar and out for a corner by the United keeper.

Though Bray showed more impetus on the resumption, United were inches from increasing their lead on 48 minutes. Kevin Devaney slalomed in from the left to tee up Foley whose right-foot drive shaved the outside of Cherrie’s right-hand post.

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