SD Galway return to the familiar surroundings of Drom this Saturday evening when hosting Wexford Youths in the Airtricity League First Division.
Tiny crowds attended SD Galway's fixtures at Terryland Park and their long term future in senior football is shrouded in doubt. Still SD Galway will be keen to eke out three points when a Wexford outfit that has improved considerably in recent months visits the west.
Having shown signs of improvement in the derby success over Mervue United SD Galway were caught out in the midlands by Athlone Town last Friday. Conceding two goals in the opening half hour SD Galway were unable to find a way back into the contest as Mike Kerley's charges had inflicted sufficient damage.
Jason Hughes and Tommy Barrett rattled the SD Galway net and though SD Galway carved a string of opportunities Athlone held out. Charlie Burke, Timmy Molloy, and Mixie Harty all made a second half impact for the visitors at Lissywoolen, but Athlone eked out the full complement of points.
Now SD Galway return to Drom and Mannion will be hoping that Nicky Curran, Eugene Greaney, Cian Fadden, Burke, Molloy, and Harty can earn the westerners a rare success. With one win and three draws posted from 15 matches SD Galway need to start picking up positive results briskly.
Mervue United are in a similar situation and Johnny Glynn's side were left frustrated at the end of an absorbing nine goal thriller with Longford Town at Fahy's Field on Friday.
Twice Mervue led by three goals, but a controversial comeback from Tony Cousins' Longford thwarted the locals, who had Pat Hoban and Tom King sent off.
When Mark Salmon converted a last gasp penalty Mervue could scarcely believe what had happened and Longford, who have interestingly signed a couple of ex Monaghan United players, stayed top of the pile.
Now Mervue face a tricky away assignment in Ballybofey tomorrow where Finn Harps, who hammered SD Galway at Terryland before the mid season break, await. Mervue had been smashing initially against Longford with Hoban scoring a brace and Etanda Nkololo also hitting the target.
King guided them 4-1 ahead midway through the second period, but the pair of debatable dismissals for dissent then upset Mervue. Longford took maximum advantage of the numerical superiority and their bold approach in the dying stages was enough to secure a vital victory.
With King and Hoban suspended for the trip to Donegal Glynn will trust that James Casserly, Martin Conneely, Nkololo, Noel Varley, and Mark Ludden can make valuable contributions. Mervue are currently seven points behind third from bottom Harps in the table. Trimming that deficit is Mervue's north west challenge.
