First league win remains elusive for both Mervue and SD Galway

SD GALWAY 2MERVUE UNITED 2

JASON BYRNETHE first city derby of the season saw SD Galway and Mervue United share the spoils in a typically competitive and entertaining First Division clash at the soon to be re-named Teryland Park on Friday night.

Some 447 turned up to witness the clash in which substitute Jason Lyons snatched a draw for the hosts, after they surrendered an early lead thanks to Enda Curran; and Mervue turned the game on its head through Gary Kelly and skipper Damien O’Rourke.

Johnny Glynn’s side had the first chance to gain the advantage after just six minutes when Alan Murphy whipped a free-kick into the danger zone from the right and Pat Hoban rose to head against the crossbar.

But six minutes later, it was the hosts who found the net when Brian Geraghty launched a long ball forward from just inside his own half and picked out Enda Curran. The former Mervue and Galway United striker took a perfect touch to take it past Mervue’s defence and coolly finished past Brian O’Donoghue.

SD Galway lost Paddy Quinlan after just 26 minutes after he failed to recover from a stiff tackle from Alex Lee, and his replacement Eric Browne became the fourth former Mervue United player to face his old club in an SD Galway kit with Mike Tierney, Michael Harty, and Curran already on the field.

Curran continued to prove a handful for the visitors and almost caught O’Donoghue off his line as the half hour mark drew near, but the SD Galway goalkeeper did well to reposition himself and claw the ball out to safety.

A couple of minutes later Curran had another go and this time his shot was parried by O’Donoghue only as far as Ronan Conlon – and his effort was deflected off Marc Ludden, which spun to Mike Tierney who headed off the bar but the flag was up for offside.

Five minutes before the break, the offside flag saved Mervue again when Harty played Tierney through and as he almost nicked it past the advancing O’Donoghue, the flag was raised.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.