United suffer another defeat in Tallaght

Shamrock Rovers 3Galway United 0

Galway United suffered defeat at the hands of Shamrock Rovers for the fifth time this season to slip a little further into relegation trouble in Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.

UCD moved am point ahead of United in the table courtesy of their 2-2 draw against Bray Wanderers on the same night, though in reality it could have been a lot worse for United as the Students were on course for all three points until Bray grabbed a late equaliser.

Speaking after their cup defeat against Rovers the previous week, United boss Sean Connor said he felt his side needed to take eight points from their remaining six games to avoid the relegation play-offs. Given the fact Rovers had beaten United 6-0 in the Cup, it is safe to assume he wouldn’t have pencilled in a points return from last Friday night’s return to the scene of that Cup mauling.

There were suggestions United could deliver some sort of backlash for that heavy Cup defeat, but that was never a runner given the fact they went into the game without two of their best players, Barry Ryan and Stephen O’Donnell, who were both suspended.

With Ciaran Foley also missing through injury, Connor was forced into a number of positional changes, with Seamus Conneely moving into central midfield, meaning Paul Sinnott played at right back, Philip Reilly played in the heart of defence alongside Jamie McKenzie, and Jason Molloy came in on the right wing.

In fact, when Craig Sives scored his side’s third goal just before half-time on Friday, you feared a repeat of that 6-0 scoreline from the previous week, but United managed to steady the ship somewhat I the second half as the hosts failed to add to their tally.

The champions-elect were on top from the start, with Thomas Stewart firing wide from close range in the fourth minute, but United showed they weren’t there just to make up the numbers, Rhys Meynell finding Karl Sheppard in space in the 10th minute but the United striker hurried his shot and a minute later the home side took the lead.

James Chambers picked out Neale Fenn on the right, and his cross to the back post was met by Gary Twigg who fired home from close range, and Twigg doubled Rovers’ lead in the 26th minute, slotting home from close range after Stewart created the opening.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.