Tommy Dunne leaves Galway United after poor run of results

Galway United have parted company with manager Tommy Dunne after a run of poor results that have left the club well off European qualification, which they were had been challenging the middle part of the season.

Leo Tierney, previously Dunne's assistant, and Gary O'Connor will take charge of the team for the remainder of the season.

Dunne, who had been in charge for almost three years, led United back to the top flight during his first campaign at the club and appeared to make steady progress after that.

The team stayed up last year then made a strong start to the current season, beating St Patrick's Athletic in their opening game and performing well over the first half of the season but they have won just once since a surprise defeat of Dundalk in early August and had conceded nine goals in their two most recent losses, going down 4-2 to Shamrock Rovers then 5-3 to Cork City on Tuesday night.

The Dubliner accepted responsibility for the latter defeat, suggesting in an interview afterwards that he had got his tactics wrong and acknowledging that the team was “still conceding soft goals” something for which he now appears to have paid with his job.

United face Finn Harps on Saturday who they are currently 11 points behind them in 10th place. They are ninth but lit just five points behind Sligo Rovers in fifth place with five games of the league season remaining.

Leo Tierney, previously Dunne’s assistant, and Gary O’Connor will take charge of the team for the Harps game.