Galway United -v- Derry City

• Alan Dooley
• Wed, May 27 2009


In the first of the weekend's games, Galway United face Derry City for the third time this season at Terryland Park on Thursday night (kick off: 745pm). Both sides will be eager to get back to winning ways, with Derry probably more than a little anxious that they don't fall any further behind leaders Cork City.

Getting his team to put together a cohesive 90 minute performance has been Stephen Kenny's main problem so far this season, as too often his side have performed in fits and starts. There is no doubting the ability within the Candy Stripes squad, as Ian Foster himself admitted before the sides' EA Sports Cup tie that Derry had been the best side he had witnesses in the first 45 minutes of their first league encounter at the Brandywell. Still, Galway came away with a point thanks to a cracking Seamus Conneely goal and some resolute defending, a quality that may be needed again in spades tomorrow night, given the suspensions and injuries that are eating away at the threadbare Galway United squad.

Both sides dropped points last weekend with Derry failing to score against an impressive Shamrock Rovers effort while Galway came out second best in the Connacht Derby. Speaking afterwards, Ian Foster was in no mood to mince his words over the standard of refereeing which has robbed him of influential midfielder John Russell for tomorrow night's game.

"He sent off a player for two honest tackles", Foster fumed. "The second one he certainly won the ball. If my player has to serve a suspension then so should the referee - it was a disgusting decision. It was an absolute embarrassment because there wasn't a bad tackle in the game, and there has been several bookings and a sending off. It was a joke. The game in this country would be non-contact if the referees had their way.

"If he goes through someone twice send him off, but he has won the ball twice. I have John Russell missing now, coupled with Garry Breen through suspension. Then you have Alan Murphy, Sean Kelly, Shane Fitzgerald, and Paul Synott injured. The list goes on and on. It is hard enough when you get injuries to the squad, but when you get suspensions from bad decisions it is so disheartening and disappointing."

Again, Foster was pleased with his side's workrate and effort and thought his side deserved something from the game, but lacked a killer instinct. "We just weren't clinical enough second half. It wasn't for a lack of trying. You saw my disappointment at Dundalk because I won't accept performances like that. I don't like losing, but I will pat them on the back when they work hard and do things in the right manner and in the right way. We just couldn't get that goal.

"I have said to them not to be disillusioned. Yes be disappointed that we have lost the game, we all should be, and we all are, but we have lost it in the right manner. We have played worse than that and won games this season. If we play like that week in, week out we will get enough points on the board to keep us in the division.

Sean Kelly has missed the last three games since suffering a knee injury against St Pat's and is a big loss as a defensive barrier in midfield, though the Breen suspension is more damaging given the solid partnership he had forged with Shane Guthrie at the heart of the Galway defence and the lack of cover available to Foster. Seamus Conneely, a naturally attacking full back, was forced into a central defensive position against Sligo and may well be handed a similar assignment tomorrow night.

Given the scale of the defensive realignment - midfielder Dave Cooke will more than likely start again at right back - a Derry City side on a mission are not the type of visitors you would be looking to take on. Thomas Stewart and Mark Farren have both found the net in their recent visits to Terryland Park and with Cork and Bohs taking on and maybe cancelling each other out at Turner's Cross, this game represents a chance for Kenny's side to get back with touching distance of the two sides above them in the table.

Kenny could have a fully fit squad at his disposal with Sammy Morrow, Gareth McGlynn, and Clive Delaney back in training while Mark McChrystal returns from suspension. Stewart, the club's joint top scorer with five goals, is the only injury worry with a thigh strain which may curtail his participation. With McGlynn back in the fold, one feels that Derry's midfield will be simply too powerful for Galway to cope with if the likes of Barry Molloy, Kevin Deery and Ciaran Martyn are also involved.

extratime.ie Prediction: Were Galway at full strength, a competitive game would be a prospect but with the absentee list getting bigger, I can't see past a comfortable Derry win. 2-0