Attacking woes haunt United again

Galway United 0

Shamrock Rovers 1

BY Keith Kelly

THE stark reality of Galway United’s low budget was plain for all to see in Terryland Park on Friday night as the home side went down to the only goal of the game against a Shamrock Rovers side that is just a shadow of the outfit that finished second in the league last season.

United manager Sean Connor had just one fit striker available on Friday, as Alan Murphy is ruled out until June with a knee injury, while Jason Molloy picked up an injury in training. That left Karl Sheppard as the Lone Ranger up front, meaning United were seriously short of a cutting edge against a side that had lost two of its opening three games. Friday’s defeat means they have now lost three of the four games this season.

There was some good news for the club with the confirmation that the signing of striker Anto Flood has finally been approved by the FAI, though there is still uncertainty about whether or not he has served the one-game suspension carried over from last season. If he has, he will go straight into the side for this Friday’s visit of Dundalk. If not, he will make his debut in Dublin against UCD on Easter Monday night.

While Connor will be concerned about the lack of goals from his side – United failed to score in those three defeats to date – of more concern will be the poor defending which once again cost United a point. Jamie McKenzie was the guilty party the previous week against Sligo Rovers; on Friday night, Thomas Heary was the man at fault as Michael O’Neill’s side grabbed a first win of the season to move above United in the table.

The all-important goal came in the seventh minute when Heary conceded a clumsy free wide on the left. Sean O’Connor whipped in the ball, Heary failed to track Pat Sullivan in the box, and the Rovers’ full-back didn’t even have to jump as he met the cross with a powerful header which flew past Barry Ryan in the United goal, Heary’s initial error being compounded by the fact that ball took a deflection off him to wrong foot Ryan.

It is not as if United hadn’t received prior warning – two minutes earlier O’Connor delivered a free from almost the exact same spot. Again the United defending was slack, allowing Billy Dennehy steal in to volley the dropping ball at the back post, but Ryan saved well with his feet.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.