Galway United 0 Ipswich Town 2 IT was mission accomplished for the Blues on their flying visit to Galway.They enjoyed a good work-out as they won the game with goals from Nicky Forster and Sito Castro, made some new friends, forged vital links as they continue to tap in to the vast wealth of talent in the Republic and the fans enjoyed the craic.

By Derek Davis

Galway United 0 Ipswich Town 2

IT was mission accomplished for the Blues on their flying visit to Galway.

They enjoyed a good work-out as they won the game with goals from Nicky Forster and Sito Castro, made some new friends, forged vital links as they continue to tap in to the vast wealth of talent in the Republic and the fans enjoyed the craic.

The Tribesmen gave the Blues a decent test in front of a 1,000-strong crowd, which boasted a large number of Town followers.

Galway United's nickname comes from the 15 families who used to run the city and were known as tribes.

One of those families was Lynch, and in 1493 the father, James Lynch Fitzstephen, Mayor of Galway at the time, gained notoriety when he hanged his own son from a window of their house for killing a Spaniard who was in their care.

It is believed this is where the phrase being 'lynched' originated.

There was no danger of anyone being lynched at Terryland Park as The Blues got off to a terrific start and went on to victory after the first-half team went in two up and playing good, crisp football.

Five Irishmen were in the two Town sides that played, with Chris Casement once again impressing and Gerard Nash making a welcome return to the side after injury.

And Magilton could not resist having a run-out and went on in place of Bertin with an hour gone.

Billy Clarke, from Cork, went up front with Dean Bowditch and Darryl Knights as Ipswich, skippered in the second half by Fabian Wilnis, tried a new formation.

Knights hit the crossbar with a header from a Bowditch corner and Darren Currie went close late on.

Alan Lee didn't play but returned to his home town and did some hard running work on the pitch before the match and is looking a fair bet to play some part in Belgium and Holland next week, after recovering from surgery.

The opening goal in the fourth minute came after good build-up play from Ipswich. Nicky Forster's first 18-yard shot was blocked but no-one could get near his second on the half-volley.

Forster is scoring goals for fun, as he has all his career, and after netting five in seven games at the end of the last Championship season he is showing sharpness this pre-season with two goals in as many games.

Not so prolific is Sito. In fact he has never scored before last night, and his first was a cracker from 20 yards.

Sam Parkin and Danny Haynes had efforts blocked after a good run by Jaime Peters but when the ball was only cleared as far as Sito the Spaniard flicked it up and scored with a dipping volley.

It was something of a celebration for Sito, who has been taken off the transfer list by new manager Jim Magilton.

Towering skipper Jason de Vos had a header from fellow Canadian Peters' cross disallowed after foraging forward. Defensively, the first-half team was sound, with one effort from Galway taken by Lewis Price and the Wales keeper also clutched a looping header from Sito as it headed goalwards.

Haynes went off five minutes before the break with a sore back as a precautionary measure and was replaced by the sought-after Currie, while Sito felt a sore groin after the match.

The Eircom Division One side had won the night before, beating Cobh Ramblers but even though the tiredness showed in the part-timers in the latter stages they put on a good show, although Shane Supple had little to do.

Teams - Galway United: Gough, Keane, Reilly, Frawley, Keady, Carter, Rojas, K Foley, Moran, Murphy, O'Brien. Subs all used: Curran, Harty, O'Donnell, C Foley, Goldbey, O'Neill, Ronan, Lavin, O'Dowd, McKenna, Gruska.

Ipswich Town: Price, Casement, Naylor, De Vos, Sito, Haynes, Bertin, Westlake, Peters, Forster, Parkin. Subs; Supple, Casement, Nash, Wilnis, Krause, Bertin, Vemund, Currie, Bowditch, Knights, Clarke. Sub Magilton.

Referee: Padraic Sutton (Clare)