Shane Doherty: ‘We will put this result past us tonight and we’ll be fully focused on Shelbourne’

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

With a loss to Cork City on Friday night, Galway United suffered a major dent to their hopes of lifting the First Division trophy at the end of the season, with the side now ten points off the top of the table.

The Rebel’s Mark McNulty put in a top performance in goal to deny Galway several times throughout the match with United having several lapses in defence throughout the game to help City to a win.

“It’s a tough loss, we probably should have taken our chances and we gave away some soft goals,” Galway United’s Shane Doherty said, speaking to extratime.com after the game.

“It was an entertaining match to be a part of, having the crowds back was really good, I felt the atmosphere was electric but it’s never a good feeling losing.

Doherty had a tough start to the season but the American winger is working his way back into the Galway team with a goal the weekend before last against Wexford, his first of the season, helping the side to a win.

“I had a rough start to the season with a long injury so getting back and getting a goal gives you a lot of confidence and momentum so I just want to keep that going.

“Most importantly for the team’s form, more than myself, of course it’s great to score a goal but the most important thing is winning games.

“The way we’ve approached everything since John’s come in is one match at a time, so we’ll put this result past us tonight and we’ll be fully focused on Shelbourne.

“It’s top of the table so it’s a huge match for us, but every match is a huge match and you can’t really look past any game.”

For the first time in nearly two years 800 fans were allowed attend a game at Eamonn Deacy Park, among the crowd were Doherty’s family who were able to travel over from America to watch the winger for the first time in a couple of years.

“It was really good, it’s been a huge chunk of time with limited fans or no fans at all so it’s such a nice feeling having the fans back and having them in full voice it’s what it’s all about anyway.

“It’s the fans and the atmosphere, that’s what makes it so special, that’s what makes this League so special.

“It’s something everyone was missing but we have a great support base here and I’m really looking forward to next week again, hopefully another big crowd and hopefully a better result.

“It was a really special night, my mom, my youngest sister and my oldest sister and my brother in law and my niece are over so it was really special for them to get to watch me play.

“It’s been a couple of years since they’ve been at one of my matches.

“They all said how much of a good time they had and it is really special anytime I get to play in front of my family especially with being here and on top of that the global pandemic, I don’t take it for granted and I know I’m very lucky, and I’m very lucky that the club is so good to myself and my family, even to make that announcement is really special.”

John Caulfield: 'They caught us for a sucker punch but we made two mistakes in the lead up to their goals and that is what is disappointing' https://t.co/Vnuch1kxQEpic.twitter.com/r2YTUT3iIv

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 8, 2021