Galway United manager Shane Keegan was thrilled by the resilient manner in which the Tribesmen defeated Limerick FC at Eamonn Deacy Park last Friday evening.
Keegan's charges do not play in the SSE Airticity League Premier again until tomorrow week's crunch clash with Drogheda United at the same venue.
Ronan Murray, Padraic Cunningham, and substitute Eoin McCormack all netted goals for a clinical United during the 3-1 success.
“It was an absolutely brilliant win,” Keegan said.
The United boss was delighted by the efficient way his team converted opportunities.
“It was the polar opposite to most of our games this season. I do not think we were at our best in terms of stopping them playing, we allowed them to impose themselves on us far too much considering we were the home team and the ones more desperate for the points.
“The first 45 minutes was all Limerick aside from two wonderful moments of individual quality, so we had a lot to address at half time.
"In the second half, I think they had a 15 minute period where they were quite dominant and we coughed up a few chances, but that aside, for a team who was without possession and playing on the counter, I actually thought we were quite comfortable apart from the sloppy late goal.”
Colm Horgan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, and Marc Ludden were all praised by Keegan, who highlighted the important role carried out by the effective Alex Byrne.
“Our back four were excellent, they really were working as a unit and then they had Alex Byrne in front of them giving them the protection, which was a big help,” Keegan remarked.
“We were doing a bit too much ball watching, although Limerick were very good, they played differently than we expected them to play. They had been reasonably direct in the last two weeks, I thought some of their football here was good and it gave us headaches.
“Lee Lynch coming in from one side and Dean Clarke coming in off the other, they were kind of overmanning us in the centre of the field, despite them having a small period of dominance in the second half, I think we did solve the vast majority of the problems."
Keegan was satisfied that United threatened on the break with McCormack's tidy insurance goal illustrating that aspect.
“The plan in the second was leave them have the ball in their own half, don’t give them any space, and if they want to try to create chances, let them aim long balls over the top. They had a little bit too much success from those long balls, not directly, but they picked up too many second balls. Them coming, doing that, meant that there was going to be big spaces in behind and we looked very threatening on the counterattack.”
For the past two games against St Patrick's Athletic and Limerick United substitutes have contributed handsomely according to Keegan.
“We spoke about it last week, that the St Pat's game was without a doubt the best impact we had from substitutes, even taking [Podge’s] goal out of it.
"Podge and Conor Melody were really good when they came on and Eoin McCormack got the flick on to set up Podge’s goal last week.
“The reason that Eoin got his goal was because of his work rate, a cool head to finish, but he chased a hopeless cause and turned nothing into a chance. He can’t be applauded enough for that.”
