Galway United 0

 Sligo Rovers   1

Is it a crisis yet? You can get your head around defeats to pre-season title favourites St Pats, an in-form Bohs, and a resurgent Waterford, but losing at home to the basement side, a side that was only winning for a third time this season? That there, that’s a poor result.

Whether it is a lack of confidence – and don’t underestimate how big a part that plays – a change in formation, or a struggle to change tack when something goes wrong in a game, this year’s Galway United is fading into a pale shadow of the side that took everyone by surprise in its first season back in the top-flight in seven years in 2024.

And maybe that has a part to play as well: last season, they were ‘only’ the First Division champions, a side without any recent pedigree in the top division, a side many underestimated, which was an attitude that suited United down to the ground.

This time around, there is no element of surprise. Big and strong and physical direct, teams know what they will face and can prepare as such.

And then sometimes it is just rotten luck, not getting the breaks, hitting the post when it seems easier to score, heading over when it seems easier to score, flaking a shot wildly wide when it seems easier to score.

But it is not always easier to score, as United found out on Friday night.

The final whistle was greeted with a smattering of boos. Who they were directed at is unclear: maybe the referee because, well, it’s the referee; maybe at some former Galway boys now kissing the Sligo Rovers badge on their chest, about all they did on the night; maybe at the home side for a poor performance; or maybe is was just an expression of general disappointment at yet another defeat.

It ended badly, but the start was promising, and that particular baby shouldn’t be thrown out with the bath water at the end of the night.

United were utterly dominant in the first-half, and created a ream of chances but they didn’t take them and when Pat Hickey hit the post in the 67th minute, Sligo took advantage, breaking down the other end and scoring the only goal of the game through full-back, Reece Hutchinson.

Once that went in, out went composure: when United needed certainty and patience, they got panic and doubt, though they didn’t help their own cause by leaving it so late to bring on some more attacking players to help in the search for the equaliser.

Stephen Walsh – without a goal now in 17 appearances, though he has played 90 minutes just twice in that run – was introduced nine minutes from time. Brian Cunningham and Sam Kerrigan only came on in the second minute of injury-time, despite standing at the side of the pitch for a number of minutes in readiness. What were they supposed to do in four minutes?

Pictured: Sligo Rovers goalkeeper Sam Sargeant claims possesison from in front of Pat Hickey last Friday night. Inset: Galway United’s Moses Dyer and John Mahon of Sligo Rovers have a coming together. Photos: Joe O’Shaughnessy.