Ollie Horgan: 'It’s a very quiet changing room in there which is a good thing, they're hurting, we're all hurting'

Ollie Horgan

Ollie Horgan Credit: Paul Dolan (ETPhotos)

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

Galway United suffered a third defeat of the season on Friday night when they faced Shamrock Rovers on the banks of the Corrib.

It was another narrow 1-0 loss for the Tribesmen with Johnny Kenny coming off the bench and scoring late for the Premier Division champions.

United’s assistant manager Ollie Horgan spoke to the press after the game and expressed his disappointment with the late goal.

“Probably hugely disappointed with the concession of the goal so late in the game,” Horgan said.

“But that's often the nature of playing Shamrock Rovers. I just thought at the time. If they had scored in the first half when they were on top, you know you might have seen it differently.

“I felt at the time that we probably weren't in any grave danger of losing again, not saying we would have gone on and won the game. We probably had the better chances in the second-half, but in the first Shamrock Rovers were the better side.

“We switched off basically Dylan Watts tipped the ball in, and Al-Amin switched off and Johnny Kenny does what he does.”

This was another game during which United performed well, and during the second half it could be argued that they had gotten on top before the concession of the goal. Horgan praised his side for the shift they put in on Friday night.

“I thought we were very good as regards our shape our organisation our togetherness and while we didn't have a whole lot of chances in the first half, I thought the second-half we certainly broke even with a couple of good chances albeit half chances from the edge of the area.



“I think Stephen Walsh had a header that went just pass the post and it's probably the fact that we had our best spell of the game at the time when we conceded. But that's the quality of Shamrock Rovers.

“It’s a very quiet changing room in there which is a good thing, they're hurting, we're all hurting.

“But that's what it's about and that's what this division is about. We’ve lost narrowly at home here to obviously Shamrock Rovers, to Pat’s, we lost narrowly in Shelburne, all one nil.

“And that's maybe the relentless nature of this league and the quality of this league. If they switch off for a second as we did there tonight, you get punished.”

Despite the good performance, it’s still another loss for the Tribesmen and Horgan is cautious when it comes to the further challenges that lie ahead for the newly promoted side even considering the strong performances they have put in against some of the top sides in the league.

“Probably we need maybe a little bit, you know, more decision making when we did counter there tonight although in the second-half, I thought we were better on the counter.



“Look, they are a proper side, and we need to get up to that level. I felt we did but that's us at home.

“You know we need to go to the Brandywell in two weeks’ time, we go to Tallaght, and you know it will be more difficult in those places, but we can't fault anyone in there as regards their endeavour, they stuck to the game plan.

“They went through a brick wall, and they're devastated, which is a good sign to put it that way, as are we.”

United have no game next weekend with the international break as the Republic of Ireland take on Belgium but they will travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell in two weeks to face Derry City.

About Paul Corcoran

Paul Corcoran is an experienced writer and journalist and has contributed to various publications including the Galway United match programme Maroon View. He spends much of his time covering the fortunes of Galway United's teams … View Full Profile