Galway United boost European hopes as Derry City slip to second

Galway United massively boosted their prospects of European football next season and massively dented Derry City's title prospects with a gritty win by the Corrib.

A game with hardly any chances, in which United showed yet again that less is more against more flashy opposition, was decided by the gigantic American Patrick Hickey, who prodded home on 76 minutes.

United, generally expected to fight to avoid relegation at the start of the season, are now third, and just four points behind Derry if they win their match in hand. Not only that: Derry slipped three points below Shelbourne, who have a game in hand in first place.

What might be soporific for the neutral has been compelling for others when it comes to United this season. Scoring a paltry 24 goals in their 28 games, they have somehow managed to get themselves into third place, and their doughty style has proven desperately difficult for others to deal with.

For Derry, this was another night that summed up a season that has never really gotten going. Europe was a flop; their title challenge threatens the same.

After a first half an hour in which almost nothing happened, Derry did something that showed what they are, could be and are not: a lovely passing move saw Paul McMullan feed Adam O'Reilly whose delightful flick allowed McMullan space; he fed Will Patching, who should have scored but badly lacked pace in his shot which dribbled wide.

The goal was full of narratives. Recent United recruit Jimmy Keohane, who was so influential for John Caulfield at Cork City, left a free-kick for Corkonian David Hurley; his dink met Brian Maher's unconvincing punch and Hurley fell into Galwegian Patrick Hoban, who would later vainly look for a free.

None was forthcoming nor merited