UnitedÕs future on the line

Keith Kelly

THE very survival of Galway United could be at stake this week as the club competes in the promotion/relegation play-off in the Airtricity League against Monaghan United, the first leg of which takes place in Gortakeegan tonight (7.45pm).

Despite being the Premier Division side in the two-leg affair, United go into the game very much as underdogs, a wretched regular season seeing them finish the campaign with just one win from 38 League and Cup games, and setting a whole host of unwanted records.

United set a league record for consecutive losses, a 22-game losing run, though despite the Irish Independent’s claim last weekend, that run is not current, but rather ended with a 2-2 draw with Dundalk in September.

The Tribesmen also became the first club in the 89 history of the League of Ireland to concede more than 100 goals in a regular season – they finished with a staggering 115 goals recorded in the ‘against’ column.

While United were the cannon fodder for Shamrock Rovers’ league title celebrations in Tallaght at the weekend, Monaghan were hitting five without reply against Athlone Town to secure third spot in the First Division, and a place in the play-off.

They went into their game on Saturday night with the chance of winning automatic promotion, needing to win and hope already-promoted Shelbourne beat fellow promotion-chasers Cork City in a winner-takes-all clash in Tolka Park.

However it was the Leesiders who tasted ultimate glory, a goal from Graham Cummins four minutes into injury time sealing the win – and the league title – for a Cork City side that had opened the scoring through Galway native Daryl Horgan, while former United player, and Tuam resident Derek O’Brien, provided the cross from which Cummins grabbed the winner.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentiinel.