French calls on Mervue Utd side to build on weekend win

Mervue United 4Longford Town 3

Keith Kelly

Mervue United have a clean bill of health for tonight’s refixed Airtricity First Division clash with Cork City FORAS in Terryland Park (kick-off 7.45pm), with manager Tom French calling on his side to carry their form from the weekend into the game.

The city side held on for a crucial 4-3 win over Longford Town on Friday, a win that sees them close the gap on the Midlanders to seven points, while also moving six points ahead of city rivals Salthill Devon, who they face in Drom on Saturday.

French said it was important to stay in touch with Longford in the table, and admits that his side were hanging on in the end on Friday night, having seen a three goal lead whittled down to the minimum with just seven minutes remaining, but says that the character shown by his side in holding on for the win will stand to them for the rest of the season.

“To be honest, a little bit of panic probably did settle in when they pulled it back to 4-3, but we maybe got the rub of luck that we haven’t been getting all season, and the lads showed great character to hold on for the win.

“We haven’t been playing that badly this season, we just haven’t been getting the breaks and have struggled to put away our chances. We have been creating openings in front of goal but maybe need to show a bit more composure, but the fact we had four different scorers on Friday night tells you that we have goalscorers in the side.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose to Derry, we probably created more chances than them, but just didn’t get the little bit of luck you need. We have been saying for the last few weeks that this run of games was very important, and now we have beaten Longford, and while Saturday’s game is important, we are very much focussed on the Cork game,” he said.

Mervue took the lead against Longford Town in the eighth minute when Evan Connolly got on the end of Rory Gaffney’s through ball to lift his shot over the advancing Aaron Shanahan. Mervue were playing the better football on a very wet night, but the visitors got back on level terms just five minutes later, Victor Ekamem firing past Ger Hanley after the ‘keeper had parried Lee Roache’s initial effort.

However Mervue retook the lead on the half hour mark, Connolly turning provider as his cross picked out Dan Cunningham, who made no mistake from six yards, and the hosts extended their lead just before the break when Mike Tierney went on a mazy run before smashing the ball past Shanahan to send Merfvue 3-1 up at the break.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.