Football

Brilliant Galway dismantle Derry's dreams

Damien Comer celebrates the second of Galway's four goals in Owenbeg yesterday as they blew Derry away. Picture by Margaret McLauughlin
Damien Comer celebrates the second of Galway's four goals in Owenbeg yesterday as they blew Derry away. Picture by Margaret McLauughlin Damien Comer celebrates the second of Galway's four goals in Owenbeg yesterday as they blew Derry away. Picture by Margaret McLauughlin

Allianz Football League Division Two: Derry 0-12 Galway 4-11

AS the travelling contingent hugged and hollered their way back into Division One, Derry were left wondering where exactly they stand.

The absence of key forward Shane McGuigan and the circus that had gone with his suspension right up until a failed last-ditch appeal on Saturday was a mitigating factor, but then Galway had no Shane Walsh – rested or dropped, take your pick – and Damien Comer lasted just 38 minutes.

By the time he hobbled off to ice his hamstring, Galway only had to protect what they’d earned with a first-half display befitting of a place back in the top flight.

Rory Gallagher was naturally drawn to look at his team’s own flaws, not least the concession of three goals in an opening period they chose to play against the wind, but you had to admire the slickness with which Padraic Joyce’s men did all the damage.

It was 3-8 to 0-4 at the break and it was all over. The way Galway’s forwards hounded their hosts, who were playing in front of their biggest home league crowd in years, was impressive and effective.

Matthew Tierney’s palmed far-post finish from Paul Conroy’s cross was the reward for the hassling that forced Brendan Rogers to give up the ball 30 yards from his own goal. Nine minutes in, the tone had been set.

The second goal had a hint of a throw ball in the build-up from Dessie Conneely but no hint that anyone wise was putting their body in front of Damien Comer’s finish, which almost tore a hole in the net.

Galway exuded complete control and pulled Derry apart at the seams, tucking promotion in for an early night when a short kickout was picked off and punished by Conneely’s cool finish.

The only comparable afternoon in Gallagher’s managerial career was his last afternoon in charge of Donegal. On that occasion, Galway hit 3-9 in the first half, and this time it was 3-8.

Ireland’s best defensive record was obliterated in 35 minutes and while the Derry boss was critical of his goalkeeper Odhran Lynch’s decision to go short and leave the team under pressure, they were a team simply overwhelmed by an opponent used to playing at a higher standard.

“They put a big squeeze on it and we made a couple of very simple errors that handed a massive initiative,” he said.

“It was a five, six-point breeze but instead of that, it ran to 12, 13, 14 points by giving away bad goals.

“It was something we had anticipated coming and something we knew would come from better quality teams but we didn’t react well to it and it was poor.”

Tomo Culhane poked home the fourth goal shortly after the restart and while Derry were more energetic after the break, led by Ciaran McFaul who kicked three points from play, they were grasping at a team who were already halfway back to Salthill with their promotion secured.

Derry’s own leap into Division One is now out of their hands. They must win in Meath but also hope that Galway go strong enough at home to Roscommon that they win and open up the second spot.

Galway will rightly do what suits them and with the league final now leaving them potentially in action for six straight weekends, there was a definite sense from Joyce yesterday that they won’t take any risks to help save Derry’s hide.

The Tribe legend admitted he was “stunned” that Derry chose to play against the wind but delighted that his own side were “scintillating at times” in the first half.

Joyce was unhappy at Paul Conroy’s red card from an incident with Oisin McWilliams, and said there was “no place” for whatever had occurred that led to Gareth McKinless’ late red card for Derry.

“Sean Kelly can’t see out of his eye there from an incident with the Derry centre-back, so that’s really disappointing that had to happen on the pitch and shouldn’t have happened really to be honest, no place for that.”

Asked to elaborate, Joyce said: “He can’t see out of one eye, you could figure it out yourself.”

Conroy and McKinless will both miss next weekend. That Conroy’s absence could be just as consequential for Derry tells you how precarious their ambitions of top-flight football now are.

“All along it was in our hands, it’s not in our hands any more,” said Gallagher.

“If that’s the case and we’re not good enough to beat Galway and Roscommon, that just might be it. Over the two games we weren’t and that’s what’s disappointing, but we weren’t.”

MATCH STATS


Derry: O Lynch; P McGrogan, C McKaigue, B Rogers; E Doherty, G McKinless, C Doherty; C Glass, E Bradley (0-3, 0-2 frees); O McWilliams, C McFaul (0-3), Paul Cassidy (0-1); B Heron, N Loughlin (0-3 frees), L Murray (0-1)


Subs: Padraig Cassidy for C Doherty (46), N Toner (0-1) for Heron (46), C McCluskey for Murray (59), S Downey for McWilliams (66), B McCarron for E Doherty (74)


Yellow cards: C McFaul (53), C Glass (65)


Black card: C McFaul (75)


Red cards: G McKinless (65, straight red), C McFaul (75, yellow + black)

Galway: C Flaherty; J Glynn, K Molloy, L Silke; J Daly, D McHugh, S Kelly, C McDaid (0-1); P Kelly, P Conroy (0-3); M Tierney (1-3, 0-2 frees), D Conneely (1-2, 0-1 free), J Heaney (0-1); R Finnerty, D Comer (1-1)


Subs: O Gallagher for Finnerty (HT), T Culhane (1-0) for Comer (38), J McGrath for Glynn (56), N Daly for P Kelly (56), T Gill for D Conneely (70), S Fitzgerald for S Kelly (70)


Yellow cards: S Kelly (65), K Molloy (75)


Black card: O Gallagher (55-65)


Red card: P Conroy (56)

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)