Galway United face a Saturday evening trip to the Carlisle Grounds for an important SSE Airtricity League encounter with Bray Wanderers.
Tommy Dunne's side defeated Limerick FC 3-2 last Friday, but then suffered a 3-0 loss against Dundalk on Monday.
Now the clash with Bray has assumed added significance. "I will be truthful there is may be a two tier situation going on. We need to make sure we are a little bit more disciplined at crucial times,” Dunne says.
“Playing three games in a week is tough. Guys need to be in good condition. We have to be positive going there, that is important."
Despite producing a competent first half display at Oriel Park on Monday, United failed to respond following the award of a controversial penalty two minutes after the restart. Dundalk's polished midfielder Richie Towell converted the spot-kick and then added two further goals to complete his hat-trick.
"I thought we were well in the game in the first half, but again if you don’t defend situations properly you are in trouble," said Dunne.
"When you concede one, you’re at sixes and sevens then you concede another which effectively kills the game. So from that aspect it was disappointing because before then it looked as if we could pick something up out of the game.
"We were playing against a good side, who are always going to be at you from start to finish. It was a good 45 minutes, but it needs to be more than that.
"It was always going to be a difficult outing for us. We picked up one or two little niggles, so we took one or two players off with a view to Saturday."
Dunne was encouraged that youngsters Antaine O'Laoi and Sam Oji sampled action in the Dundalk encounter.
"Antaine, I do think there will be a good future for him," Dunne says. "He is only a young lad, but giving him a bit of game time and a feel of what it is like is good. Sam has been sick, but it was good to give him an opportunity to get him going. Hopefully he will be available for Saturday.”
Dunne is looking for United to replicate their victory over Limerick.
"From start to finish we looked like we had a good hunger and desire to get three points. We created a number of chances, which we didn’t take at important stages of the game. Sometimes it happens like that. The most important and pleasing aspect from my point of view was that when we were looking to win the game, we weren’t chasing silly We had a discipline about us. I was delighted to pick up the three points."
United should have 'four or five more points' on the board according to Dunne.
Dunne is adamant United are developing on and off the pitch. "We are part of a club that has history and tradition. They are players who have control a jersey. When you have the jersey you need to do something with it. When you give it up or when someone else takes that jersey you leave something for them. We are building a football club here. It is as simple and straightforward as that. Everybody involved has a responsibility and they are stepping up to the mark."
• Galway United Supporters Trust will be running a bus to Saturday’s premier division match at the Carlisle Grounds, leaving The Dail Bar, Middle Street, Galway at 2pm. To book a seat contact Dominick Walsh at 087-9163438 or Ronan Coleman 087-6972823. KO in Bray is 5.45pm.
