NUI Galway gave their hopes of surviving in the Western Hygiene Supplies Premier Division a timely boost on Saturday afternoon with a comfortable victory over fellow relegation candidates Colga at Dangan.
Two goals in a four minute spell halfway through the second half ultimately proved decisive for Tom French’s side, who have now reached the halfway point of their campaign and are improving at a rate that suggests that the second team to drop into the First Division is a long way from being decided yet.
Colga, on the other hand, now look strong favourites to be relegated as they only have five games left to play and realistically need at least three wins from those games to have a chance of staying up. On Saturday’s evidence this task will be beyond this group of players.
Manager Dermot Finn pointed to a lack of cutting edge last week as a source of worry, but in truth a defence which has now conceded 43 goals is the root cause of all their problems.
Take Saturday’s first goal as an example. The contest had been relatively close for 15 minutes before College started applying some pressure. Colga had a let off when clearing off the line when striker Derek O’Flaherty cut in from the right and shot from a narrow angle.
Two minutes later, Tristan Ryder drifted infield from his station on the left flank and must have thought Christmas had come early as he was gifted time and space 25 yards from goal to take a touch and line up a shot on goal which was well placed but should have been saved by ‘keeper Paul Collins.
Ryder grew in confidence from his strike and twice more went close with long range efforts from distance, Collins twice denying him a second goal. Gary Forde was then thwarted by a good save from John Burke at the other end, before O’Flaherty drove into the area and crossed for Mikey Creane to side-foot in from close range on 36 minutes, giving the home side the lead their enterprising play deserved.
Richie Byrne, Rory Bluett, Dave Cooke, and Vinny Carrigan on the right wing in particular were College’s best performers but some slack defending just before the break ensured Colga would emerge from the interval reinvigorated. O’Flaherty had moments earlier spurned a chance at one end when Gary Forde netted his eighth league goal of the season to bring Colga back into the contest.
Forde could have jumped to the top of the Premier Division’s goalscorers’ charts three minutes after the break but Donal McCann denied him with a vital goal-line clearance. College made the most of this escape on 65 minutes when Carrigan’s cross was headed only as far as O’Flaherty, who controlled on his chest and sent a powerful volley past Collins from 12 yards.
Three minutes later O’Flaherty turned provider once more when pulling back for Cooke, who powered a shot into the roof of the net from a difficult angle. Three goals to the good, the hosts made a raft of changes and were punished for some sloppy play when Colga midfielder Cathal Connolly pulled a goal back with a neat finish on 77 minutes.
Gary Forde almost capitalised on another lapse in concentration but clipped the outside of the post in a tense spell for the leaders before O’Flaherty grabbed the last goal of the game with eight minutes remaining when he was fouled by Robert O’Grady and picked himself up to net his fifth league goal from the spot.
So after losing their first four games, College have picked themselves up well and are only equalled by West United for points gained from their last five games. Whether they can keep the improvement going into the New Year with three cup campaigns to distract them remains to be seen.
NUI Galway: J Burke; R Byrne, J Hynes, D McCann, R Moloney; T Ryder, R Bluett (P McDaid, 75 ), D Cooke (J Lavin, 70 ), V Carrigan (C Monaghan, 66 ); D O’Flaherty, M Creane.
Colga: P Collins; C Forde, R O’Grady, L McNamara, O Mullins; G Forde, A Biard, C Connolly, C Higgins (D Donoghue, 22 ); A Huban (P Gibbons, 38 ), W Finn.
Referee: Vincent Carew.
