RYAN Curran struck the winner for Derry City as they spoiled the party on Galway United first game back in the Airtricity League Premier Division.
After the disappointment of last season, Derry were looking to make the best possible start here and the 21-year old's winner saw to that. Sam Oji had given Galway the lead in the first-half, but Sean Huston equalised and Curran got the winner.
Mark Timlin, Stephen Dooley and club captain Ryan McBride were all unavailable through suspension for Derry with Galway's Alex Byrne also not allowed to play.
Derry City settled better into the game, but trailed 1-0 at the break as United took a foothold after their goal in the 20th minute.
Paddy McEleney got the first shot off in anger, but it never troubled Connor Gleeson and he saved easily. Left back Stephen Walsh launched the first attack for the hosts in the ninth minute, but it lacked real incisiveness
Ryan Curran was finding it difficult to impose himself on the game while his namesake and former Candystripes frontman Enda Curran looked isolated as the lone striker. But gradually Galway were finding their feet as the players adapted to the occasion and it wasn't long until the towering figure of Oji made his presence felt.
First-off Jake Keegan crossed for Galway winger Gary Shanahan to get his head to the ball, Dean Jarvis got in the way and the ball trickled agonisingly wide.
But from the resultant corner, Ryan Connolly swung the ball in and Oji rose highest to hammer home United's first goal back in the league. It was also his first for the club and the Eamonn Deacy Park faithful were in dreamland.
Galway could have doubled their advantage seven minutes later - Paul Sinnott and Connolly were involved as they set up Enda Curran who shot was expertly saved by Derry stopper Ger Doherty. And in the 37th minute, Doherty was nearly caught out by his own player when Shane McEleney made the mistake - he connected with a Colm Horgan cross from deep and the ball looped inches wide.
Paddy McEleney should have brought Derry back level with five minutes remaining in the half, he found himself in acres of space when he turned in the Galway box.
But he couldn't avail of the opportunity, Gleeson saved and Galway led it 1-0 at half-time.
Derry reacted better to the half-time team-talk, Barry McNamee had a couple of free-kicks before the play began to stretch.
Connolly raced into the corner and provided a pin-point cross for Keegan but he couldn't apply the finish and the ball was cleared.
Derry went on the attack and Josh Daniels was almost away down the right but Oji slid in to clear the danger.
But it was just a brief respite for the hosts - in the 59th minute a cross from Patrick McEleney caused consternation in the Galway box, Derry winger Sean Huston reacted quickest and finished to the bottom-right corner.
That goal turned the game on its head and the visitors looked an altogether better side.
Oji had to perform more heroics to prevent a dangerous cross from making its way through.
But Shane McEleney gave away a disputed free-kick when he upended Ryan Connolly outside the Derry box - Enda Curran blasted effort directly at the wall summed up his team's second-half exploits. But as in the first 45 minutes, Galway were working their way into the game once more.
Dillon's shot was no trouble for Gleeson but the next effort nestled in the Galway net.
Patrick McEleney was once again instrumental, his cross from the left in the 82nd minute found Ryan Curran and his unorthodox shot caught out Gleeson and Derry were in the lead.
The game petered out after that. United tried to get back on level terms, but it was a harsh dose of reality for the Westerners.
TEAMS
Galway United: C Gleeson, C Horgan,
A O'Connell (J Molloy 85), S Oji, S Walsh, G Shanahan, P Sinnott (capt), D O'Leary, J Keegan, R Connolly, E Curran (P Cunningham 77).
Subs not used: C Raftery, C Winn,
A McDonagh, C Barry, A O'Laoi Derry City: G Doherty (capt), S Kelly,
S McEleney, A Barry, D Jarvis, J Daniels, B McNamee, P McEleney, P Lowry,
S Houston, R Curran.
Subs not used: S Patton, P McClean,
G Kelly, R Curtis, C Flanagan, J McIntyre, R Doherty Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)