By Jason Byrne at Eamonn Deacy Park
Galway United 1-2 Derry City
Derry City began their season with a hard-earned three points on the road against Galway United in a game of two halves at Eamonn Deacy Park which announced United’s return to top flight football.
Despite going ahead in the opening half thanks to Samuel Oji’s header, a makeshift Derry side turned the game on its head after the restart thanks to goals from Sean Houston and Ryan Curran.
Over 2,000 supporters including President Michael D Higgins turned out to see Galway United’s long-awaited return to the League of Ireland but most of them went home in disappointment as gritty Derry took the spoils.
In a decent first half Galway started brightest as the swirling breeze around the park meant both teams had to adjust to the conditions as Galway welcomed Premier Division football back to the west.
United had the first meaningful effort on goal when good build-up play saw Enda Curran feed New York native Jake Keegan but his low effort trickled wide of the target.
Just three minutes later United created another decent chance when Keegan’s cross was met the head of the unmarked Gary Shanahan in the box but his attempt was deflected wide as Derry looked brittle at the back.
From the resulting corner the men in maroon hit the front when Shanahan’s set piece was headed into the top corner of debutant Oji much to the delight of the rampant home support.
As the half hour mark crept closer Galway kept their momentum going when more fine build-up play saw skipper Paul Sinnott feed Keegan and their top scorer in 2014 was denied by Ger Doherty’s alert save.
On 37 minutes United nearly doubled their lead when a long ball from Colm Horgan was almost deflected into his own net by Shane McEleney when the ball lobbed over the advancing Doherty and but went inches wide.
The Candystripes came into the game hit hard with injury and suspensions and created their first half chance when Curran gained rare space but Andy O’Connelly poked the ball from his feet.
Five minutes before the break Galway stopper Conor Gleeson was finally called into action when Derry broke with pace and Patrick McEleney’s effort saw him turn the ball around the post.
In stoppage time, Patrick McEleney then drove well over the bar before Barry McNamee crossed but Curran’s header failed to hit the target moments before the half time whistle.
After the restart Derry finally began to look like the side which reached last year’s FAI Cup final and Galway were forced to drop deeper inside their own half as Peter Hutton sought to turn the game in his side’s favour.
The game became end-to-end for a spell as a United break finished with Gary Shanahan’s cross coming to nobody and Derry then swept forward only for Oji to get there ahead of Josh Daniels who was waiting to do damage.
But Derry’s persistence paid off on the hour mark when Patrick McEleney’s ball was missed by the United defence and Houston was at hand at the back post to slot into the bottom corner and level the game.
This goal really rattled Galway and as the hosts became frustrated Derry pressed for another – which then arrived nine minutes from time when Curran headed into the bottom corner after a large spell of patient possession play from the visitors.
United tried to force an equaliser late on as Jason Molloy and Padraic Cunningham were introduced but their efforts came to nothing and their big return ended in defeat.
GALWAY UNITED: Conor Gleeson; Andy O’Connell (Jason Molloy 85), Stephen Walsh, Samuel Oji, Colm Horgan; Gary Shanahan, Paul Sinnott (c), David O’Leary, Jake Keegan; Enda Curran (Padraic Cunningham 78), Ryan Connolly.
Subs not used: Cormac Raftery, Conor Winn, Aaron McDonagh, Conor Barry, Antaine O Laoi.
DERRY CITY: Ger Doherty (c); Dean Jarvis, Shane McEleney, Aaron Barry, Shaun Kelly; Josh Daniels, Philip Lowry, Sean Houston, Barry McNamee; Paddy McEleney, Ryan Curran.
Subs not used: Shaun Patton, Patrick McClean, George Kelly, Ronan Curtis, Chris Flanagan, Joe McIntyre, Ryan Doherty.
REFEREE: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan)
