A second win on the trot for another young United side was achieved in Newforge Lane yesterday afternoon, as Enda Curran bagged a brace in his first outing for the club.

The Belfast venue, used for training camps by teams such as Ulster Rugby and Chelsea FC had seen a lot of rain over the weekend and was frozen on the morning of the game. The pitch held up well and helped contribute to a relatively entertaining match.

Sunday's match was played on a very heavy pitch against an extremely youthful side. Newforge Lane was a little soft under foot, but not overly so, and PSNI as you would expect, were older, larger in stature and physically stronger opposition.

The match began as a lively affair, with both sides creating chances, but nothing that seriously threatened to break the deadlock. The first real sign of danger came when the home side won a free-kick at the edge of the box on the right-hand angle. Instead of shooting, the ball was centred and the attacker had a shot at goal, but Winn was able to deal with it.

On the half hour, Enda Curran opened his United account. Racing up the right wing, he latched onto a pass from inside the United half, delaying slightly and giving the keeper and defenders a chance to close him down, the chance seemed to be almost lost. Shane Keogh had also raced goal-ward from the opposite wing and was offering an option, but Curran took it on himself, slotting it past the keeper.

United gained confidence as the match progressed and settled. Shaun Kelly, playing his first match since last season, apart from the FAI training camp in Scandinavia, was solid. Kelly and South Korean winger, Jin Gu Kim combined well for the most part, excepting a few cases where rustiness might have caused some crossed wires.

Soon after going behind, the PSNI were forced to make a change, replacing a player who was in need of ice to treat an injury.

The PSNI were holding some possession in midfield but a number of diagonal cross-field passes were struck too firmly or were mis-controlled. Youngster Gary Kelly playing on the left side was the busier of the two full backs, but coped well and was rarely caught out.

Enda Curran had a chance to double his tally on 35 minutes, shooting from 18 yards, but it was too central and was pushed away by the home netminder. Korean striker, Kwangjai Choi then had an excellent opportunity to score, losing his markers with ease, but his shot was somehow tipped wide for a corner. Keogh delivered the corner but it came to nothing.

Leading up to half-time, good work from Curran in midfield saw United regain possession and he released it to Shane Keogh who was advancing up the left wing. The winger got a shot off outside the box but the keeper had enough time get across and deal with it.

The home team had a free awarded in a dangerous position on the angle of the box and they seemed to be making the most of it, centring it to an on rushing attacker, bypassing the two-man wall, but the shot was skewed off high and to the left. Another shot was sent wide soon after, as Shaun Kelly did enough to force a shot from the left to trickle harmlessly wide of Conor Winn in goal.

Curran had another half-chance to score as he put his head to across, but was unable to get any power behind it or put it on target.

On the stroke of half-time Keogh had time to put in an cross which was met by Choi, who was unlucky not to score.

United were straight into attack from the first whistle of the second half. Shaun Kelly and right winger, Jin Gu Kim, turned a difficult situation in defence into a series of one-two passes up the right flank. The move broke down at the final hurdle but it was an encouraging passage of play.

Two more attacks in quick succession within the first five minutes, with Curran and Kelly from distance caused no problems. Curran was to make up for his earlier misses almost immediately, as the first of the substitutes were warming up on the sidelines. Galway went two up when Keogh played him for his brace, slotting it past the keeper.

Shane McInerney was introduced in place of Yob Son, who had a solid game along with his defensive partner, a tall and vocal centre back on trial at the club, who organised the defence well.

Eight minutes into the second half, good pressure saw a hurried pass go lose which United tried to capitalise upon, but the keeper was alert enough to get there in time.

Another couple of crosses, from play and corners, were well delivered by Keogh but none troubled the keeper. Curran was then withdrawn a quarter-hour into the second half for Brazilian striker, Renan Santos.

Thiago and Dave Cullen were introduced for Eduardo and Kim, as Sean Connor began to shuffle his pack, having seen his starting eleven generally perform well. Shaun Kelly was also taken off and will be relatively happy with his performance.

Santos had a chance to put United 3-0 up as he tipped a through ball past the home keeper, but the defence read his intentions and got there in time to take it off his toe.

With fifteen minutes remaining, Conor Winn was called into action as the PSNI cut through the centre of the United defence, but one-on-one with the striker, Winn stood up and tipped his effort wide for a corner.

In a rare occurrence, slack marking saw PSNI advance into the box, shooting past Winn who could not be faulted, pulling the deficit back to a single goal.

Santos almost had another chance to score, racing through onto a great pass but was unfortunate to have an incorrect offside call go against him.

PSNI began to see more of the ball and were more lively in attack as the United players were shuffled around.

Winn made another good save, as he relied on his reflexes to keep out a shot from inside his box and clear the danger.

At the full time whistle, the manager would have been happy with the workout against stronger opposition than Sunday, but much better opposition will be needed to give a real barometer of how the squad is progressing.

Galway United: Conor Winn, Shaun kelly, Trialist, Yob Son, Gary Kelly; Jin Gu Kim Seok Beom Kim, Eduardo, Keogh; Enda Curran Kwangjai Choi.

Subtitutes: Dave Cullen, Shane McInerney, Renan Santos, Thiago.