Ryan red card doubles pain for Galway

Galway United 0 

St Patrick’s Athletic 2 

Galway United are facing a goalkeeping crisis for the visit to Bray Wanderers on Friday night after Barry Ryan was shown a straight red card in a controversial decision by Dublin referee Neil Doyle in last night’s loss to St Patrick’s Athletic in Terryland Park. 

United were two down and on the way to defeat when Doyle took centre stage. Brian Cash got away from the United defence, only to have his jersey tugged by Jamie McKenzie outside the box. Doyle blew his whistle and made a gesture forward, leading many to believe he had awarded a penalty. 

The United players protested, and as he advanced to add his few words, Ryan kicked the ball forward in frustration. Doyle made a dramatic ducking gesture before marching towards Ryan, reaching to his back pocket and showing the United captain and ‘keeper a red card. 

United were furious with the decision, which manager Sean Connor saying afterwards that Doyle explained he had sent off the United ‘keeper for “violent conduct with the ball”. Connor and Doyle viewed the incident again afterwards, but the referee wouldn’t comment and Connor said there was no point in appealing. 

It took Doyle a full hour to leave the ground after the game, but as he left, he finally commented to galwaynews.ie, confirming the red card was for “violent conduct with the ball” and, crucially, answering “yes” when asked if, after watching the incident again, was he happy with the decision, meaning he is unlikely to overturn the red card. 

United’s other goalkeeper, Seamus Friel, is out injured, but with the FAI refusing United permission to sign an emergency ‘keeper for the EA Sports Cup clash with Derry City earlier this month, they are unlikely to change their mind this week, meaning Rhys Meynell may end up between the posts again. 

As for the rest of the game, the visitors were the first to settle, soon showing why they came into the game as league leaders as they put the home side under pressure from the start, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the fifth minute. 

Damien Lynch and Brian Cash were giving United plenty of problems down the right, and they combined well in the fifth minute with Lynch teeing up Cash for a cross. Paul Byrne controlled well, taking a touch to open up space for the shot, and his effort went across Ryan and inside the far post. 

Meynell and James Creaney were having a nightmare on the United left flank, while Byrne was causing the central defender all sorts of problems, and he rose highest to meet Gareth Coghlan’s cross in the 11th minute, but couldn’t direct the ball past Ryan, while he turned provider a minute later, teeing up strike partner Vinny Faherty, but the former United frontman volleyed straight at Ryan. 

United were struggling to even get out of their own half, and Pats eventually made their dominance count when extending their lead in the 19th minute.

Once again Cash and Lynch were involved, the former setting up the latter for a shot. Jamie McKenzie got in a crucial block, but the ball spilled for Stuart Byrne who smashed a shot across Ryan for his first of the season. 

The home side belatedly got into the game as the half wore on, but they were restricted to long-range pot-shots until Karl Sheppard finally got a sight of goal inside the box, but Gary Rogers was equal to the task, getting down well to his right to save. 

The home side also had appeals for a penalty when Tom King’s cross appeared to strike Ian Bermingham on the arm, but referee Neil Doyle waved play on, saying afterwards that while the ball did hit the defender’s hand, it was not intentional and in truth Bermingham had little chance to get out his hand out of the way with King less than a yard away when crossing. 

The second half was a tame affair, but it burst into life with a controversial moment 16 minutes from time with Ryan’s second off, and there was further farce when Doyle ordered a new ‘keeper’s jersey for Meynell rather than allowing him wear Ryan’s jersey, which held up the game for five minutes. 

Meynell was called into action on a couple of occasion, and was not found wanting either time, saving well from Paul Byrne and Shane Guthrie, but the fact that the home side didn’t have a single shot on goal in the second half tells its own story. 

Galway United: Ryan; Conneely, McKenzie, Sinnott, Meynell; King, O’Donnell, McBrien, Creaney (Heary 58); Flood, Sheppard (inj, Sheppard 79). 

St Patrick’s Athletic: Rogers; Lynch, Guthrie, Kenna, Bermingham; Cash, S Byrne, McAllister (Mulcahy 88), Coughlan (Guy 84); Faherty, P Byrne (Williams 90). 

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).