Mervue United 2 - 1 Salthill Devon

Mervue United recorded their first win of the season defeating Salthill Devon 2-1 at Fahy field’s on Friday night in the local Galway city derby.

Two first-half goals from captain and winger Tom King and promising 16 year old striker Ryan Manning, was enough to secure the three points for the claret and blue despite Devon’s Willie Enubele’s 71^st minute strike.

Mervue started the game on the front foot and caused a ragged Salthill all sorts of problems at the back. It was only a matter of when, not if, Johnny Glynn’s side would open the scoring.

Left back Mark Ludden was the architect of many of Mervue’s attacking patterns and his excellent diagonal long ball released King who smashed the ball at goalkeeper Ronan Forde. But while King’s effort was only half-blocked by Forde, the ball remained goal-bound and Salthill’s Eugene Greaney scrambled the ball off the line.

Ludden was once again instrumental in the game’s opening goal on 13 minutes. His long ball down the left hand-side wasn’t properly dealt with by Devon’s defenders and striker Brendan Lavelle picked out King in acres of space on the right hand side. This time the winger made no mistake, calmly lobbing the on-rushing Forde in the Salthill goal from six yards out.

Minutes later Mervue midfielder Noel Varley had his header cleared off the line by Colm Horgan as the home side looked to add further misery to their visiting rivals.

Predictably, goal number two followed on 18 minutes. Right-back Paul Sinnot picked out the impressive Manning in the crowded penalty area and he fired into the bottom corner from 16 yards with a fierce first-time cracker.

Salthill looked all at sea and there was now a real danger the flood gates would open. However, with the experienced Derek O’Brien starting his first game for his new club, Tony Mannion’s side finally settled and it was O’Brien who came closest to opening Devon’s account for the season but the former Limerick FC and Cork City player fired his effort high and wide on 36 minutes.

Devon striker Enda Curran followed that up with a chance of his own but the former Galway United player could only force a save from Mervue goalkeeper Connor Gleeson.

As the half neared its end Manning should have made it 3-0. A ball into the box found Manning but the youngster miss-kicked the ball at the vital moment and the home side went in at the break two goals to the good.

The second-half started with Mervue taking control of the game once again as their wingers and strikers continued to combine well. King, Varley and Manning all had half-chances but Mervue failed to grab goal number three which would have ended the game as a contest.

At this stage Devon began to rally as Mervue looked to have settled for the two goal lead. O’Brien became far more influential down the left side and a dubious free kick for Salthill outside the penalty area on 71 minutes helped them to their first goal of the 2013 season.

Enda Curran was deemed to be brought down illegally and he drove his resulting free kick at Gleeson who could only parry into the path of Enubele who had an easy tap in.

From this point Devon smelled blood and increased their pressure on a nervy looking Mervue. However, in truth they never really threatened again despite O’Brien’s hard-work and footballing intelligence. Salthill were reduced to long-range efforts and, when the ball was finally delivered into the penalty area there was no presence or danger and Mervue took the spoils in derby number one.

Mervue United: Connor Gleeson; Paul Sinnot, Michael McSweeney, Martin Conneely, Marc Ludden; Tom King (capt) (Alex Lee, 77), Noel Varley, Gary Curran (Shane Keogh, 78), Jason Molloy; Brendan Lavelle (Gary Kelly, 78), Ryan Manning

Subs not used: Joe Woods, Mike Elwood, Kenny Farrell, Oscar Sibanda.

Bookings: Mark Ludden (10’), Michael McSweeney (70’)
 

Salthill Devon: Ronan Forde (capt); Colm Horgan, , Eugene Greaney, Willie Enubele Jamie McGlynn; Jean Biansumba (Adam Hynes, 19 ), Timmy Molly (Robbie Gaul, 62), Mike Harty, Derek O’Brien; Jakub Tomanica, Enda Curran

Subs not used: Gerry Dolan, Cian Fadden, Stephen Rudden, Kames Keane

Bookings: Enda Curran (45’), Eugene Greaney - Yellow Card (62'), Mike Harty - Yellow Card (74')

Referee: Simon Rodgers

Attendance: 265

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Ryan Manning - A constant thorn in the Salthill Devon defence, Manning played with a maturity far beyond his tender age of just 16. He can head, pass with both feet, and, has a strong left foot that is equally deadly from dead ball situations as well as from open play. One to watch.