Mervue Utd 2 - 2 Salthill Devon

• Terry Flaherty
• Sun, Apr 25 2010


The very first Galway City derby game in the Airtricity League finished all square as Salthill Devon snatched a dramatic 94 minute equaliser to claim an unlikely point as the home side came from a goal down and looked on course for their first win of the season.

Mervue had gone behind five minutes before the break against the run of play but drew level on the stroke of half time through the outstanding player on show in Rory Gaffney.

The same player headed them in front on the hour mark but Enda Dunne grabbed a last gasp leveller in the fourth minute of injury time with virtually the last kick of the game.

On a wet and miserable night on the Dyke Road, the home side started the game on the foot of the table after the visitors were awarded their first three points of the season on Friday by the FAI Independent Disciplinary Committee, as they ruled that Wexford Youths had fielded an ineligible player in their 2-1 win over two weeks ago.

Mervue started the game the brighter as they looked to overhaul their city rivals and were almost in front after six minutes. Gaffney chased a Mike Tierney pass and won a corner off Brian Geraghty. He took it quickly himself and saw his in-swinging delivery strike the top of the near post. The loose ball fell to Enda Curran who laid off for Nicky Curran to shoot over Ronan Forde’s crossbar from just inside the box.

Gaffney had the ball in the net after 14 minutes when Mark Ludden released him into the box and he beat Forde before play was halted by the assistant referee’s flag for a marginal offside decision. Gaffney then saw his shot from the left well held by Forde on 23 minutes as the home side were taking the game to Salthill.

Salthill had a half chance on 31 minutes as a long ball forward was chased by Mikey Gilmore but the advancing Padraig Lally got to the ball first only to miskick his intended clearance. Gilmore though tried an ambitious overhead kick, which flew wide of the empty goals.

Another Gaffney corner from the left on 35 minutes was delivered to Pat Hoban at the near post and he set up Nicky Curran but the defender blazed his close range effort high and over Forde’s crossbar.

Five minutes later and the visitors were in front after Daryl Horgan floated a free-kick to the back post were Mike Kennedy headed past Lally for the opening score of the game. Just as it looked as if Salthill would go in a goal up at the break Mervue hauled themselves level.

On the stroke of half time Evan Connolly played a lovely through ball for Gaffney to latch onto, and he beat Forde with a shot into the bottom right hand corner from just inside the box to ensure the teams went in level at the break.

Mervue came out in the second period determined to take all three points and their pressure took until the 62nd minute to produce a dividend as that man Gaffney was the executor once again. Mark Ludden delivered a perfect cross from the left for Gaffney to loop his header over Forde and into the top corner to give the home side a deserved 2-1 lead.

With very little in the way of chances in the game after this the home side looked to be coasting to their first three points of the campaign as they comfortably dealt with what Salthill could throw at them with captain Eric Browne superb at the back.

Four minutes of injury time ensued and in the final minute of this Enda Dunne collected a ball from sub Luke McConnell before jinking past one challenge and smashing a fine low effort into bottom corner past Lally to earn his side an unlikely share of the spoils.

A heartbreaking result for Mervue in the end considering they created the better chances and had looked the better side throughout the game with Gaffney and Browne outstanding for them. This will feel like a win for Salthill with their first point gained on the field of play, while Mervue still await their first win after eight games.

Next up for Mervue is a very tough away trip to Shelbourne, while Salthill will look to build on this point with a home tie against Derry City, whose manager Stephen Kenny was among the crowd tonight.

Mervue United: Lally, Curran, Farrell, Conneely, Browne; Tierney, Connolly, Hoban, Ludden; Gaffney (Cunningham 80 mins), Curran (O’Dowd 71 mins).
Subs not used: Young, Varley, Hanley (GK).

Salthill Devon: Forde, Quinlan, O’Leidhinn, Geraghty (McConnell 83 mins), Whelan; Shovlin, Horgan, Stenson, Dunne; Kennedy (O’Reilly 63 mins), Gilmore (Boyle 66 mins).
Subs not used: Hoctor, Burke (GK).
Booked: McConnell

Referee: John Grimes (Dublin)
Attendance: 350
Extratime Man of the Match: Rory Gaffney, Mervue Utd.