Galway Advertiser 1991/1991_11_03/GA_03111991_E1_039.pdf 

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Denis Kennelly of Galwegians lining out against two Blackrock players during Saturdays game in the Sportsground.

College

N Christmas o Cracker For United

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Soccer followers aroum around the country will have a few tense momements tommorrow night when the draw for the F.A.I. Cup is held in Dublin's Berkley Galway United 0 St. Patrick's Athletic 4 Court. It will. a particularly time for Galway United drew cold comfort from anxiouswho will beGalway United, looking their Christmas programme when League to the Cup as their only op champions St. Patrick's Athletic scorned portunity for football glory United's first half efforts to crush any this season. Last year's campaign, hopes of a surprise seasonal celebration which hearlded a St. Fran cis v Bray Wanderers Despite United's wind Glynn returned to the front final, proved that anything aided first half, St. Pat's line. is possible. used the weather to better Although there was a Cup success is fashioned advantage against the deal of promise about this on a stout defence. Galway home side. first half, it was against United's record of scoring The match was viewed the breeze at the start of a goal per game while conas an ideal opportunity for the second half with the ceeding two does not make Joey Malone to test his game still scoreless that for great confidence or charges during this cur United played their best great odds at the rent spell of crucial football. bookmakers. League games. United went close to There is no such thing as The result was stark in scoring through Noel Meran easy Cup draw, but let's deed, and it will give the nagh and Jimmy Nolan. hope United at least have manager much on which And two minutes later fine interprising fullback play a home match on March to deliberate. There are those who can by Morris-Burke saw him 10. point to referees, the wind draw a good save from or injuries as mitigating Devlin. factors. The truth is this In the 54th minute Tom United side is limited. my Keane struck a grand Recognising those shot that the Pat's keeper limitations is a start, but again did well to stop, but there is no section of the it finished there for the field where United could home side. not effect change or de mand more determination Slack Defence The Irish Referees and sustained Society has come in for a concentration. Pats opened the scoring great deal of unflattering Twelve points separated in the 56th minute when attention recently. the sides; seven league Pat Fenlon's corner was While there is a danger places; and a 33 goal dif touched on by Joe that criticism over par ference. At the end of Sun Lawless, and Mark Ennis ticular incidents can day's game P a t s had knocked it into the net. magnify the problem, repeated their earlier 4 - 0 there are certain areas of Seven minutes later victory over United and it Tony O'Connor took ad concern for Galway seemed that a lifetime of vantage of slack defending followers. expectations and ambition to put the champions two 1) Why, after Galway's also separated them. introduction to the L.O.I, up. in 1977, has no local referee United's challenge had Myriad of be deemed worthy of a sus evaporated when Ennis tained run in the League. Chances and Fenlon added further 2) Why has there been a goals - the latter five greater number of However the scoreline minutes from time direct Munster officials at does not reflect United's from a corner. Galway United games St. Pat's, undefeated chances of victory for the first hour of this contest since October 14 when they over the years? 3) Referees like players played in arctic cold and suffered their only reverse have poor games, but why of the year, looked like the galeforce conditions. should there still be such Backed by the storm, champions on Sunday. inconsistency from Physical, competitive, United had a myriad of referees at the highest half chances, but Christy and superbly organised, level of the game? Devlin kept his goal intact, Brian Kew's side will be The problem is not all favoured by many to gain principally because one-sided however as Moody, McDonnell and their second successive there are many players Byrne refused to accom title. who continually test the United have had a modate any serious United boundaries with refs. miserable Christmas, los threat. There is at least one ing their three games, and Pete Carpenter made Dublin club who are as more importantly their his seasonal debut at leftloud in their criticisms at back with Malone shape. present as they are about As with last season, a operating as sweeper. decisions which marks Jimmy Nolan's versatility lengthy run by Eamon their games from start to saw him assigned a mid- Deacy in an anchor man finish. As always, there role could well be needed. field spot, and Johnny are two sides to the story.

watches as St. Pats goalkeeper Chippy Devlin denies Galway United a place on the scoreboard during Sunday's League of Ireland clash at Terryland Park

Refs Under Fire

Galway

United's

Johnny Morris-Burke keeping the pressure on the St. Pat's defence the first half of Sunday's game at Terryland Park.

during

'Wegians Wn Boosts League Campaign i
GALWEGIANS 24 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 14
m o r e t b a D to t h e i r

Galwegians celebrated the festive season with a win over Blackrock College which should provide a psychological boost in their campaign to win All-Ireland Division 2 honours next season.
Although the visitors were without three key players, Neil Francis, Brendan Mullen and Alain Rowland, Galwegians achieved a measure of satisfaction in this challenge fixture at Sportsground last weekend With both sides leading their respective provincial leagues there is a strong possibility the two will meet in the round-robin competition for Division 2 promotion. However the victory margin for Galwegians on this occasion was rather flattering, and indications are that the Glenina outfit could find their next meeting a lot more dif ficult than the 10 point lead suggests. Galwegians were first to strike last Saturday when outhalf Eric Elwood, who scored all the home sides points, put them in front in the third minute with a close range penalty. However Blackrock came back strongly, putting Galwegians on the defen sive for the next thirty minutes. The Dubliners complete ly routed Galwegians in the lineouts despite the absence of Francis in the second row, and by half time had added six points with two successful penalties. But in most other areas of play Galwegians were

opponents. After a disappointing interprovincial series, Elwood proved the pivot for Galwegians with some superb touch kicking and was again accurate with his place kicking to restore parity with a long range penalty before half time. Blackrock took over the proceedings again in the second half and were rewarded after ten minutes when the strong running South African cen tre Gavin Johnston broke two tackles to score under the posts. New Zealand outhalf Steven Bachop fail ed in the conversion to keep the Dubliner's lead down to 10 - 6. However some fine play from Galwegians' backline saw Elwood res pond with a drop goal and five minutes later added his third penalty to put the

home side back into the game. But Blackrock quickly countered with another try from winger Brophy, which was un converted by Bachop. With ten minutes re maining Galwegians started to use their rolling maul for advantage, set ting up Elwood with his se cond drop goal. Urged on they secured another penalty from Elwood's boot for a 18 -14 lead. In injury time Elwood stretched the lead with a try under the posts, which he converted for a 10 point winning margin. Best for Galwegians were Enda Guerin, Brian O'Donnell and Eric Elwood in the backs, while prop P a t Leahy and Joe Healy were the best of the forwards.