- Patrick O'Connor
- Sat, Mar 04 2023
Galway Utd maintained their unbeaten run at the start of the 2023 season and now sit on top of the SSE Airtricity League First Division following last night’s 1-0 win away against Waterford FC at the RSC.
They have maximum points after their three opening games, scoring four goals and only conceding one and now look forward to a meeting with Kerry FC next weekend, a Galway v Kerry clash that is more usually associated with another sporting code.
Waterford will be disappointed with what was a second sub standard performance in front of their home supporters and there will be some early season concern that they are not firing on all cylinders in Danny Searle’s second season in charge.
Galway started this game in a very positive fashion with some quick counter attacking a feature of their game, Ed McCarthy’s runs down the right wing causing particular trouble for Waterford left back Ryan Burke.
Waterford for their part were set up very defensively for a home game and the tactic of leaving centre forward Wassim Aouachria on his own up front on his own certainly did not work as he was very well marshalled by Killian Brouder and Rob Slevin at the heart of the Galway defence.
The tactic also led to the home side playing a lot of route one balls up to Aouachria and they seemed unable to find another way of troubling the visitors at the back, except from some free kicks and corners.
Waterford’s sole effort on goal in the opening half was a speculative long range effort from Chris Conn-Clarke which forced Brendan Clarke into conceding a corner in the 14th minute.
The only goal of the game arrived eight minutes later and it had been on the cards from early on in the game.
Ronan Manning swung in a corner from the left side and when it reached the far post striker Vince Borden rose highest to head it past Paul Martin for a good goal.
Galway grew in confidence even more after that goal and continued to dominate proceedings up to the break, though they could well have done without the two yellow cards that were flashed by referee Alan Patchell just before the whistle.
Manning got his booking for diving in the box and Assistant Manager Ollie Horgan followed him into the book for remonstrating with the referee over Manning’s card.
The second half saw some improvement from the home side, with substitutes Shane Griffin and Ronan Coughlan bringing a bit more variety to their attacking play.
Their only chance of the second half and their best of the game overall came in the 67th minute, Griffin’s free kick outside the box was met by a powerful header by Eddie Nolan and it took a top class save from Brendan Clarke to prevent it from hitting the net for the equaliser.
Both sides huffed and puffed a lot towards the end of the game but neither side really looked like scoring as they game became somewhat scrappy, though Galway did show their experience in running down the clock at every opportunity and managed to hold on to that slender one nil lead through the five minutes of added time at the end of the game.
Waterford: Paul Martin; Darragh Power (Tunmise Sobowale 69) Ryan Burke, Giles Phillips ©, Eddie Nolan, Niall O Keeffe ( Thomas Oluwa 81), Barry Baggley, Chris Conn- Clarke ( Conor Parsons 69), Roland Idowu( Ronan Coughlan 58), Dean McMenemy ( Shane Griffin 58), Wassim Aoucahria.
Subs not used: Tom Donaghy (GK), Charles Ondo, Killian Cantwell, Dean Larkin
Booked: Dean McMenemy (38), Darragh Power (65), Ronan Coughlan (75), Giles Phillips (78), Shane Griffin (86)
Galway Utd: Brendan Clarke; Killian Brouder, Regan Donelon, Colm Horgan, Rob Slevin; Vincent Borden (Maurice Nugent 87), David Hurley (Conor O Keeffe ,87), Ronan Manning (Mikey Rowe, 72), Edward McCarthy, Conor McCormack ©; Stephen Walsh (Rob Manley 89).
Subs not used: Alex Rutter (GK), Darren Clarke, Evan O'Connor, Francely Lomboto, Ibrahim Keita.
Booked: Vince Borden (26), Ronan Manning (43), Ollie Horgan (43) Killian Brouder (74), Mikey Rowe (80),
Referee: Alan Patchell
Attendance: 2,725
Extratime.com Player of the Match: Vince Borden (Galway Utd)
