The history books were about to have a new chapter written as Friday nights game entered the final minute at the Carlisle Grounds. Thirty-one previous tussles had failed to produce a scoreless draw between Galway United and Bray Wanderers and, as the woodwork came to both sides’ rescue in the closing stages, this statistic looked set for oblivion.
But Derek Glynn had other ideas. When his first effort didn’t come off following great work on the right wing by Vinny Faherty, Glynn was lightning fast to react and volley past Alan Gough. Given the twenty minutes that had preceded, it brought an unlikely end to this contest as Galway exacted sweet revenge for a similar reverse on Jeff Kenna’s first night in charge.
The now player/manger admitted he should have come off slightly earlier than he did as Bray forced the pace in the closing stages. “I probably should have came off ten minutes earlier. The left winger got in a couple of times, which I wasn’t too happy about. I’m no spring chicken and this was only my 2nd game in three months.”
A win of the utmost importance that moves Galway off the foot of the table, Kenna was understandably happy. “I’m obviously delighted, absolutely buzzing. We left it late, probably too late for them to score. I felt over the ninety minutes, we certainly gave as good as we got. We maybe rode our luck a good bit, Banana pulled off a couple of good saves, but that’s what he’s there for.”
Rouse was Man of the Match in Bray and Kenna was fulsome in his praise of the Barbados international. “He was excellent. He played very, very well. As a back four, if you know your keeper is going to come and claim crosses, then that’s a great confidence booster.”
With Daryl Robson the latest to depart, Kenna confirmed the hard times may not yet be over if attendances at Terryland Park continue to decline. “I’m being told it’s looking good at the minute, but we really need the people of Galway to get behind the team until the end of the season.”
Captain John Fitzgerald confirmed his intentions to stay with the club, and was hopeful Friday’s result would be a turning point. “I thought for 70 minutes we were the better side. Maybe we rode our luck a bit in the last twenty, but these are the sort of nights you need to ride your luck. Three or four weeks ago it probably would have went the other way. That one that went off the bar would have went in, so hopefully this is the start of us getting up the table.”
Up the table they have gone as again results worked in their favour. The upcoming clashes away to Finn Harps and at home against UCD will surely now define Galway’s season, but a visit by the Candystripes precedes those two encounters next Friday night. A result of any sort will keep momentum on the positive side. A vocal Galwegian crowd would help that cause immensely.
