CITY TRIBUNE
Two-goal burst in 90 seconds is decisive for Galway United
Cobh Ramblers 1
Galway United 2
TWO goals in the space of 90 seconds midway through the first-half sealed a deserved, if somewhat nervous, win for Galway United away to Cobh Ramblers on Saturday night.
Strikes from Conor Barry and Eoin McCormack had the visitors cruising, but the loss of central defender, Stephen Walsh, on the half-hour mark saw United lose their hold on the game, and they had to withstand sustained pressure from the home side in the second-half to clinch a win that edges them closer to the play-off places.
New United manager, Alan Murphy, made just one change to the side which defeated Athlone Town the previous week, introducing Robbie Williams for the unfortunate Conor Layng, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate injury.
However, the introduction of Williams heralded a major switch in tactics from United, who lined out in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Williams employed alongside Alex Byrne as two holding midfielders, a strategy that paid rich dividends.
Walsh was forced off with a cut to his head in the 33rd minute, but Murphy said the central defender should be available for this Friday’s trip to UCD, and if that is the case, a similar set-up can be expected for the clash with the table-toppers.
It was all so different from less than two months ago, when a United side lacking any kind of confidence or belief played out an insipid draw at St Colman’s Park on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
That was in the middle of a six-game run without a win, a bad sequence of results that eventually cost Shane Keegan his job, but the turnaround in approach and attitude from United’s players in just two games since Murphy’s appointment has been refreshing, and the chance of a play-off spot which looked unlikely just three games ago is back on the radar once again.
“It was a tough win, coming down here to Cobh is never easy, 2-0 up and a great start, thought we pressed the game and forced the game as I asked the lads, we were the better side,” Murphy said after the game.
“I thought we were in complete control, we played well, forced the issue, played the game in their half. We were a smart side, and yes, we would have liked more of that same in the second half but it was tough, we were under serious pressure but we ground it out and that’s what needed to be done,” Murphy said.
United were constantly turning the Cobh defenders back towards their own goal, particularly Carlton Ubaezuonu and Barry out wide, and the former set up Ryan Connolly for the first attempt on goal, but his shot in the 8th minute cleared Paul Hunt’s crossbar.
Ubaezuonu and Adam Rooney both went close in the 11th and 17th minutes respectively, before the industrious Barry opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season in the 18th minute.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
From this week’s Galway City Tribune – More than 20 taxi drivers in the city were issued on-the-spot fines last week during an operation to nab those not accepting card payments.
The ‘sting’ was conducted by the National Transport Authority (NTA), the Taxi Regulation Office and the Gardaí over the course of several days last week.
It stemmed from complaints that several taxis in Galway City were not accepting card payments – legislation was introduced last September obliging taxi drivers to accept credit and debit cards.
Many drivers sought cash payments while telling customers that their card machines were either not working or that the terminal could not get a signal.
A senior source close to the Taxi Regulation Office told the Galway City Tribune that they had received “quite a number of complaints” from customers stating that drivers were not accepting payments by card.
The source said that members of the public were engaged to use the taxi services as part of the operation and some of them reported that the drivers had indicated from the outset that they would only accept cash payment.
“Since the beginning of the year, the taxi fares in Galway City have received an increase and the drivers are required to provide an in-car system of payment for customers.”
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the June 2 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.
From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A well-known community activist in the east of the city has appealed for reasoned discussions about plans to accommodate over 300 male asylum seekers in Ballybrit.
Former local election candidate Michael Tully, who is based in Ballybane, said the debate around the proposal to house 302 people in empty office blocks in Ballybrit Business Park was happening at two extremes, while many people living locally were “somewhere in the middle”.
“There were protests organised up there this week by radicals,” said Mr Tully of demonstrations which have been orchestrated by known members of the far right.
“But there are people that think it is unsuitable because they’re putting 300 men in basically a warehouse that’s surrounded by high fences with CCTV cameras all around it. It’s like a prison or an army barracks – where’s the humanity in that? These are people we are talking about.
“There are genuine concerns about it being 300 men, because that’s unhealthy, in the same way it would be unhealthy if it was 300 women. There will be people in there that have families and would be better off mixed with them,” he said.
Media debates about the centres rarely featured nuanced opinions that were based in genuine concern, he said, and tended to favour more radical voices.
“Listen to any of the radio debates or TV discussions and it’s always the two sides shouting each other down. On one side, they’re calling people terrorists and on the other, everyone who has any concern is labelled right wing.”
Mr Tully, who is involved with several community projects locally including the Merlin Allotments and setting up an orienteering group, said there should be a more concerted effort to integrate asylum seekers in the community ahead of moving them into an area.
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the June 2 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.
From this week’s Galway City Tribune – City-wide water outages are expected next week as local authority staff down tools in a dispute over allowances.
Water Services staff in Galway City Council and Galway County Council are due to strike on Wednesday.
Trade union SIPTU predicted the industrial action will cause widespread outages and disruption to the water supply to businesses and homes across Galway. A boil water notice may also be issued.
It’s understood emergency cover and supply to hospitals may be maintained but secondary schools could be impacted on the day the Leaving Cert starts.
Union representatives met with management yesterday (Thursday) but no deal was reached. Pickets are planned for Terryland Waterworks, City Hall on College Road and the Council depot at Sandy Road.
“The City Council has no contingency plan,” said David Samuels, Assistant Industrial Organiser with SIPTU.
(Photo: Terryland waterworks)
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the June 2 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.
The Official Plans and Timeline for Renville Sports & Community Grounds are announced
Health Minister admits “unacceptable” conditions at UHG ED during visit
Death driver with drink and drugs in his system is sent to jail
‘Double standards’ on Covid bonus for hospital catering workers
Funding for dedicated cancer care facility in Galway
East Galway farm sells for €1.3 million
Burkes return home to revel in their local roots
Man prosecuted for building house instead of agricultural storage unit
OPW Minister to meet Council engineers on ‘flawed’ motorway design
Official opening of Galway’s new pedestrian and cycle bridge
