Search Results for 'Alan Murphy'

For teams vexed by league pressures cup competitions are a welcome break, but tomorrow's Terryland Park tussle between Galway United and Athlone Town should not be short on incident or intrigue.

Intrigue has been attached to Galway United since the start of 2008, and the next instalment in the Terryland Park tale ought to be interesting on Sunday.

Richmond Park is becoming synonymous with glorious Galway United wins.

The mystic number three has long held prominence in fairytales. If Galway United are really to record the great escape, Friday’s third win at home with three fine strikes that claimed three invaluable points might be looked upon with prescience. Either way, it was a most decisive 90 minutes in what at sometimes seemed a futile quest.

On an evening when it would have been all too easy to get carried away with your team’s third home league win on the trot, in front of the largest and most vocal home crowd of your tenure, thankfully Galway United boss Jeff Kenna was in no such mood to get ahead of himself after a scintillating performance by his squad.

First things first, I’m from Mayo and damn proud of it. I’ve worked in Galway for five years now, my college years were thoroughly enjoyed in Dublin, and I’ve even spent time living in the insanely wonderful Los Angeles. But nowhere has what Mayo’s got. And there’s certainly nowhere else I’d prefer to have been born. Sure, like most of Ireland it’s aesthetically pleasing, but it’s the people that separates Mayo from everywhere else. We’re laid back, we’re chilled out, and we’re friendly. We’re hugely supportive and undeniably loyal, almost to a fault. Yes, there really are some highly delusional people out there that still believe with all their hearts that the Mayo men can win an All-Ireland; even if there’s a better chance of hell freezing over. We’re fun, proud, very ‘with it,’ and definitely nowhere near as countryish as the Dubs and Galwegians believe. We stand by our own and look out for each other — it’s Mayo all the way.

Suddenly Galway United matter again and planes, trains, and automobiles will be filled with expectant travellers for next Friday’s defining trip to Belfield. It is always fascinating to watch a sporting tale unfold, but this story has been particularly charming.

A dramatic year for Galway United, loaded with crucial contests and strange stories, concludes at the Belfield Bowl tomorrow (7.45pm).

Much in the same vein as any other severe engagement, it boiled down to one thing: spirit. It wasn’t skill or style, but sheer willingness to work that ensured Galway United’s seasonal objective of survival was achieved. A game both dull and putrid it might have been, but that barely bothered those who squeezed into cars and buses on the contented journeys back to the wild west.

Launching the new Galway United FC strip and sponsor on Monday were (l-r) player Alan Murphy, Denis O'Connell of sponsors O'Connell Drylining Ltd, and player Paul Sinnott.