Stirring comeback sees United grab share of the spoils

Galway United 2Sligo Rovers 2

Keith Kelly in Terryland Park

GALWAY United came from two goals down to grab a share of the spoils in a cracking Connacht derby that was played in horrendous conditions in Terryland Park on Monday night. 

United looked dead and buried when the visitors went 2-0 ahead in the 36th minute as the home side struggled to deal with the waves of attack crashing down on their defensive wall on a night made for the sitting room rather than the stand.

However the one thing this United side have is bags of character, and they got back into the game just two minutes after watching former team-mate John Russell double Sligo’s lead when Gary Curran fired home to reduce arrears, and Karl Sheppard popped up with a cheeky equaliser midway through the half to deny Sligo a first win in Terryland since 2007.

The United staff also possess a degree of irony, the PA belting out The Stunning’s Brewing Up A Storm as the sides took to the pitch before the game in driving wind and rain that suggested any chance of decent football was a remote one.

That is what the sparse crowd of 668 got in spades, however, as both sides defied the conditions to play some lovely football on what was a very greasy surface. There can be no argument that the visitors were the more polished outfit – Paul Cook’s crew are one of the most attractive footballing sides in the league – but United certainly contributed to what was a thrilling contest.

It was the visitors who had the benefit of the elements in the first half, and it was little surprise that the dominated the opening exchanges, although they suffered an early blow when centre back Derek Foran was forced off with a head injury in the sixth minute.

It was former United defender Alan Keane who had the first shot in anger, lashing a spectacular effort from 30 yards which caught on the wind and forced Barry Ryan to scramble across his goal and push the shot away for a corner.

United failed to properly deal with the ensuing set-piece, clearing the ball only as far as Richie Ryan, and the Sligo captain smashed a shot into the far corner on the half-volley as Ryan could only look on, which was the least a strike of such quality deserved.

United sought an immediate reply, Stephen Walsh forcing a cracking save from another former United player, Ciaran Kelly – a goalkeeper criminally overlooked during his stint here five seasons ago – but it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous, and Ryan had top be at his best to deny Romauld Boco in the 22nd minute.

Ryan won the battle between the two seven minutes later, gathering a singer of a shot from the striker at the second time of asking as Sligo continued to press for a second goal, which duly arrived in the 36th minute.

It is galling for many United fans to see John Russell in the kit of another team, moreso as it is the provincial rivals, and he showed the Terryland faithful what they are missing on Monday night. Taking possession just outside the Sligo box, he fed the ball right to Gary McCabe, who attacked down the channel.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.