I’m so annoyed over crucial penalty miss
Padraig Amond takes a penalty that was saved by Galway keeper Brendan Clarke during Friday's SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division clash at the RSC. Photos: Noel Browne.
Friday night was a bad night for us, and it looks as if our European hopes are all but over with now off the back of the result. The game against Galway was a huge six-pointer and a win would have really made it very interesting in the race for the top four.
We started the game excellent and took an early lead after only seven minutes. We then had a huge opportunity to double our lead just two minutes later when we were awarded a penalty but unfortunately, I missed the penalty which turned out to be a big moment in the game.
Had I scored the penalty the penalty the likelihood is that we would have gone on to win the game and that is a thought that hasn’t left my head all weekend and I have been so annoyed over it. Still, we were 1-0 up and playing well in the first half and possibly could have added to our lead.
There only looked like one winner in the game in the first half, but after half-time when we came back out it was as if we were the side losing and we were dropping deeper inviting pressure onto ourselves.
Galway equalised just after the hour mark and it was a blow we never recovered from.
Just six minutes later they scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the game and try as we may we could not find the goal to get us back into the game late on.
Both goals we conceded were very poor goals and that is what hurts the most at time. When a team carves you open and scores a good goal you can have no qualms about it but when the goals are gifted to the opposition it is hard to win games.
We will still give everything we have in the last four games of the season as we try to salvage our hopes of a top four finish and not let the season just fizzle out.
The title race looks like it is going to go right down to the wire with only five games remaining and only five points separating the top four in the league. Shelbourne are in pole position at the minute even though they have only won one of their last eight games in the league.
They are being helped in their quest to win the league by the teams behind them failing to take advantage and dropping points each time it looks like Shels have slipped up and even on Friday night when they only drew at home to Sligo Rovers, they actually gained a point on both Derry City and Shamrock Rovers to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Galway were the big winners on Friday night as they were the only ones of the top four to win and in the process, they closed the gap to the top. They have a huge chance now of getting European football for next season which would be a great achievement for them.
There is a small break in the league this week for most of the sides with Dundalk vs Galway being the standalone fixture in the league Friday night because of the FAI Cup semi-finals and Shamrock Rovers playing Shelbourne on Sunday because of their Europa Conference League fixture against Apoel Nicosia Thursday night.
For the top four to get European football this season all the sides will be hoping Derry City beat Bohs and then win the cup to add that extra European place for the league positions. St Pat’s are making a massive late push for that extra spot and with the form they are in at the moment it would take a brave person to bet against them making the top four.
They comprehensively beat Shamrock Rovers 3-0 in Tallaght on Friday night and they are the form team in the league right now Stephen Kenny has really got them playing brilliantly and they will have a big say in the title race with games against three of the top four in their last five games.
At the other end of the table Dundalk are all but guaranteed the minimum of a relegation play-off place but the most likely situation still looks to be relegation to the First Division for next season. Drogheda United have given themselves a real chance of staying up even if they end up in the relegation play-off. Just behind St Pats they are the next form side in the league and have put in some excellent performances in the league and cup (they have a FAI Cup semi-final against Wexford FC to look forward on Sunday) in the last couple of months.
Compared to where they were early in the season they have done brilliantly to even give themselves a chance of safety. It makes the final month of the season at both ends of the table exciting.
