Galway United will face a tricky assignment in their promotion push when they make the short trip to Limerick tomorrow to take on Treaty United.
They travel south on the back of a competent 2-0 win over Wexford in Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday. Stephen Walsh made a welcome return to goalscoring form to extend United's home winning record to a superb seven in a row this season.
The result rarely looked in doubt. David Hurley and Walsh went close in the first quarter, while Francely Lomboto, buoyed by his performance against Waterford, threatened from the left and went close twice.
At the other end Brendan Clarke provided solidity and distribution, while stopping Wexford taking a shock lead with a fine save from Hugh Douglas.
A stronger showing was needed in the second half and was delivered, and speaking after the game assistant manager Ollie Horgan praised the upturn. "In the second half we had energy about us, we had drive about us."
Home nerves were eased by the first goal which arrived in the 56th minute. United went short with a corner and Regan Donelon sailed a beautiful delivery which Walsh steered home.
Another short corner provided the genesis for the second. Hurley's cross fell to McCarthy who received a pass from Walsh and fed it back to him. The Bohermore man's strike hit the post and rebounded back into the net off luckless keeper Noel Heffernan.
United's professionalism and guile was evident in the final 20 minutes as they saw out the contest comfortably. Such craft may be necessary again tomorrow as they face familiar foes in a vastly improving Treaty United.
The Limerick side endured a difficult start to the season and was winless in the first six outings. However, Treaty's current form is more relevant, and since a weakened team was easily defeated by Waterford, Martin Russell's side has won four on the spin.
In this sequence they have scored 12 goals and conceded only once. Unsurprisingly, Enda Curran has been to the fore of this turnaround and he will be keen to add to his growing tally against his hometown team. Ex-United players Marc Ludden, Stephen Christopher, Conor Barry, Colin Kelly will be similarly motivated to prove their points against their old side.
From a United perspective, the key concern will be the absence of the ever-present Rob Slevin and Stephen Walsh, who will miss out due to suspension. It will provide a dilemma for boss John Caulfield who was just re-assembling his preferred side which had started the season so strongly.
On the evidence of recent lineups and substitutions, it is possible the powerful Ibrahim Keita will lead the line. The versatile Maurice Nugent, who has recently filled in at full-back, may be asked to partner the excellent Killian Brouder in the heart of the defence.
There is much quality on the bench to compensate for the absences, but the disturbance of successful combinations provides another challenge ahead of a tie that continues to develop the feeling of a derby. United have much more than bragging rights to play for and will hope that a big travelling support can spur them on to another valuable three points.
