City wail out west as relegation battle looms

📷 KBD Photos

City made the trip to Connacht as they travelled to battle against some familiar faces in the Galway United ranks. Ger Nash was taking the reigns for the first time since being announced as manager and was hoping to try and begin to close an ever growing gap between themselves and eighth place, with Sligo looming over their shoulders.

In his first game in charge, Nash made three changes to the side that took to the pitch in Inchicore, with the injured Harry Nevin and Kitt Nelson dropping out, as well as Matty Kiernan. They were replaced by Darragh Crowley, Rio Shipston and Milan Mbeng.

Galway also made three changes to the side that lost the Connacht Derby, with Killian Brouder, Bobby Burns and Brendan Clarke all coming out, being replaced by Evan Watts, Garry Buckley and Vince Borden.

City started the half brilliantly, nullifying Galways agricultural tactics and getting on the front foot, and the visitors should've taken the lead after half an hour. A high press from City led to an interception by Rio Shipston. Shipston’s intervention played through Djenairo Daniels who barreled towards goal, but dragged his shot narrowly wide of the far right post

Galway were not without their own chances though, and they almost broke the deadlock ten minutes later. Cian Byrne fired a ball into Patrick Hickey, who knocked it down to Moses Dyer in the box. Dyer angled a shot and aimed for the bottom left corner, but his shot squeezed past the post.

City had by far the best chance of the game on the stroke of half time. Freddie Anderon hooked a ball over the top of the Galway defense. Cathal O’Sullivan got to it first and nicked the ball around the keeper, but managed to put his shot wide of the empty net, all while Greg Cunningham wiped him out from behind, but no foul was given.

That put an end to what was a very positive first half from the visitors’ point of view, but the infamous second half awaited.

It didn't take Galway long to right some wrongs of the first half, as they took the lead three minutes into the second half. Greg Cunnigham hooked a ball into the feet of Moses Dyer down the left hand side. Dyer took advantage of a lunge in by Freddie Anderson and shifted by him and dinked the ball over Tein Troost from a tight angle to give Galway the lead. 

City were still very much in the game, and got their just rewards three minutes later. Josh Fitzpatrick flew down the wing and sent a cross towards the box, which was blocked by the outstretched elbow of Jeannot Esua. The referee pointed to the spot with no hesitation, and Djenairo Daniels stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to bring City back level.

City were caught out at the back and almost paid dearly for it in the fifty eighth minute. Freddie Anderson was under pressure from Patrick Hickey at the back and his attempted clearance cannoned off Hickey and the American latched onto the loose ball but his effort flew past the post.

City began to falter defensively as the game went on, with Galway going close from headers off of set pieces twice in two minutes in the seventy first and seventy third minutes. 

City were beginning to crumble, and Galway found the goal they'd been looking for with six minutes of normal time left to play. Jeannot Esua got the better of Josh Fitz down the right hand side and fired a low ball into the box. It was controlled by Stephen Walsh who laid it off to the oncoming Conor McCromack and the former City captain fired his shot into the roof of the net to give the Tribesmen a late winner.

City showed a slight lack of urgency in the final minutes as the game petered out and the three points stayed in Eamonn Deacy Park. Djenairo Daniels, Milan Mbeng and Seani Maguire came over to communicate with the away end as it was an understandably hostile atmosphere at full time, with City fans having to be separated by security after controversy over people booing. It's once again a familiar sight and feeling for City fans as a late winner is what buried the game . It is now the eighth goal City have conceded after the 84th minute, and tenth after the 80th minute. It is a prevailing issue that needs to be fixed by Ger Nash sooner rather than later. The club is in a dire position and the next few months will either save it, or bury it deeper than ever before.

My man of the match goes to Djenairo Daniels. To be honest, it's one of them where it's hard to give a man of the match considering the game didn't have many moments in it, but I thought that Daniels showed quality throughout the game, utilising his hold up play brilliantly in the game to help create most of CIty’s chances. He was a handful all night for the Galway back three, especially in the first half.

City will be hoping to crack their poor run of form as they host Shelbourne on Friday, while Galway travel to Tallaght to face Shamrock Rovers.