Battling Galway Utd share the spoils with Derry hosts

Galway United 1

FOR the second time this season, Galway United left the Ryan McBride Stadium on Friday night with a valuable point as their recent run of good form made it three matches unbeaten in the Airtricity League of Ireland.

Just like on their first visit to Derry, it was the visitors who took the lead courtesy of a David Hurley penalty, before a rather fortuitous equaliser gave the home side a share of the spoils, an outcome they deserved.

Without a doubt it was the home side who were the more proficient in the opening half, but a combination of frantic United defending and a lack of creativity and finishing by Derry City ensured the sides went in level at the break.

There were certainly reasons for this dominance as Derry certainly overloaded the left flank of their attack as Sam Todd, Kevin Holt and Michael Duffy were always outnumbering the right side of the United defence and it was from this source that United's problems arose.

However, it was an issue dealt with at the interval as the introduction of Killian Brouder and Robbie Burns gave them a much more solid look on the resumption as United traded on more equal terms with the home side thereafter.

The post-match observations of the opposing management were pretty reflective of proceedings. Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch said: “We weren't clinical enough in the first half as we had enough chances to put the game to bed and go on and win the game. Then in the second half, we didn't create enough.”

Coach Alan Murphy was on media duty for the visitors and his observation that “neither team did enough to win the game” was equally apt. “We were opened up a bit in the first half and identified that. We were better in the second half and were a bit more compact and comfortable.”

Pictured: Galway United's David Hurley who was on target from the penalty spot in Friday night's away draw against Derry City in the Premier Division.