It ended up being added to the lengthy list of occasions when Galway United were unable to triumph in front of an expectant home crowd.
More than 4,000 spectators attended a high stakes SSE Airtricity League first division encounter with Matt Healy’s blistering goal ensuring Cork City left armed with the full complement of spoils.
Undoubtedly it was a setback, but United manager John Caulfield is hopeful that his team can respond when competitive fare resumes on June 17 away to Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
“We were disappointed, very much so with the result,” Caulfield says. “It is the halfway point of the season. If we go back to the start of the season, if you thought after 16 matches - that at halfway you'd be a point off the top you'd take it.
“Obviously the fact that we had gone to the top after the previous week, we had an opportunity to win the match which we tried to do, but unfortunately on the day their goalkeeper David Harrington made two or three very good saves.
“Ultimately we didn't score - that was disappointing because it was the first time all season that we haven't scored in a league match.”
Caulfield, though, is aware of the importance of the connection between players, management, and an increasing number of United supporters. “There was lots of positives - a fantastic sell out crowd,” Caulfield adds.
“If you look at where the club has come from - in the last six months we have had two of the biggest crowds in Terryland Park for nine or 10 years. We have a brilliant following being built up, there has been a great atmosphere.
“People can see this team are really doing their best. While we were all disappointed it is still only halfway. Obviously everyone is on a mid season break, we all are just recharging the batteries to be ready for the second half of the season.”
Despite the pain of the Cork defeat, Caulfield is optimistic about the remainder of the campaign. “There is great disappointment initially when you come out from a match where you're playing Cork - they are favourites for the league - but at the same time we have been neck and neck with them this season up to the halfway point,” Caulfield says. “Waterford are just slightly behind, you can see it is going to go right to the wire and that it is very competitive.
“On reflection and with my experience - either way whatever the result was on Friday night the league was never won on Friday night either way because you still have a full 16 games to go.
“Everyone has to play each other twice. We have done a lot of things well, the players have played really well for the majority of the first half of the season, but certainly there are areas that we need to improve on.
“We were very disappointed the other night not to score because we had chances. There are lots of encouraging signs, lots of things that went very well. If you compare it to a year ago we were eighth in the table - now we are second, we have everything to play for in the second half of the season.”
**Listen to the full interview with Galway United manager John Caulfield on this week’s ‘Cian on Sport’ podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
