Connaught SENIOR LEAGUE PREMIERSHIP
United aim to win title 'the hard way'
TOM KELLY REPORTS
Straide & Foxford United are refusing point blank to concede defeat to University College Galway in the race for the Connaught Senior League Premiership. With four games remaining in the campaign, United know exactly what they have to do to bring the title back to the club for the second successive season.
Said joint manager Gerry Coleman: "We cannot afford to drop any more points. It is simple as that. We have to play U.C.G. at home and away in two of our remaining four games."If we are good enough to beat them twice, we are good enough to win retain the title."
United have also to play Sligo Rovers at home (next Sunday) and Mervue United, away, on Easter Sunday. The gap between the two sides at the top of the table is four points with U.C.G. having a game in hand.
Said Coleman: "I realise that we will have to win the title the hard way. But I think we are equipped to do it."
United will have Alex Durkin back for Sunday's clash against Rovers. They have appealed the severity of an eight-match suspension which was imposed on him by the Connaught Senior League. He has already served a number of games.
But United are also facing up to a goalkeeping crisis at the worst time of the season. The club flew the unfit James Larkin down from Dublin on Sunday because they were left without a goalkeeper. The side's other goalkeeping signings, Declan Dempsey, John McCallion and Declan Sweeney, a recent acquisition from Conn Rangers, were unavailable. Explained Gerry Coleman: "Both Dempsey and McCallion were unavailable, while Sweeney was injured. "James Larkin is far from full fitness because of a lingering foot injury but, to his credit, he did not let us down." Nigel Reape, the side's top scorer last season, is also out with injury.
Despite their setbacks, Straide & Foxford United reduced the gap to four points on University College Galway on top of te Premiership with a convincing 4-2 over Mervue United at Foxford on Sunday.
United got off to a flyer when a corner kick by Brian Joyce found Johnny Jordan in the penalty area. Jordan struck his eleventh goal of the campaign with some style.
Mervue were back on level terms within a short period of time when Andy Leyland, the former Castlebar Celtic player, drilled home an equaliser from close range. The Galway side, causing United a lot of problems down the flanks, took the lead when Dominic Burke squeezed the bal past goalkeeper James Larkin, back in the side following injury. Mervue threatened to take command at that stage and only for series of outstanding saves by Larkin, United would have been dead and buried by half-time.
Once they weathered the storm, Straide & Foxford hit back. Brian Joyce, his experience proving vital, made it 2-2 on the half an hour mark when he shot received a deflection before ending up in the Mervue net.
This appeared to knock the stuffing out of Mervue and Straide & Foxford took the lead five minutes into the second half through Martin Neary. He crashed the ball into the Mervue net following outstanding work by Declan Smyth. Michael Costello, one of the club's emerging young stars, wrapped up the issue for United with the side's fourth goal fifteen minuets from the end.
Nobody at Straide & Foxford believes the title race is over yet, most notably Martin Neary, John Kenny, Declan Smyth, James Larkin and Johnny Jordan who have every intention of fighting to the end.
Straide & Foxford: J. Larkin, D. Flannery, B. Joyce, J. Kenny, M. Costello, D. Smyth, M. Neary, F. Mulvihill, J. Jordan, M. Keaveney, L. McHale. Res: M. Devanney (for Keaveney).
The Title Run-in
The following are the fixtures in the run-in to the Connaught Senior League championship race:
University College Galway:
v Mervue (March 2nd, home);
v Straide & Foxford (March 10th, away);
v Straide & Foxford (March 24th, home);
v Sligo Rovers(March 16th, away);
v Mervue (date to be arranged, away);
Straide & Foxford: v Sligo Rovers (March 3rd, home);
v U.C.G. (March 10th, home);
v U.C.G. (March 24th, away);
v Mervue United (April 7th, provisional, away).
Connaught Telegraph - News - February 1996
Connaught Telegraph - Sport - February 1996
