These are encouraging times for Galway United, who now host Wexford FC in another crucial SSE Airtricity League first division encounter at Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow evening (7.45pm ).
Kevin Farragher’s last-gasp header ensured United claimed a third win on the spin against a delightful Shamrock Rovers II outfit at the Corribside venue last Friday. With the gifted and immensely promising Kevin Zefi pulling the strings, Rovers caused United significant bother, but goals from skipper Shane Duggan and Farragher meant United prevailed by 2-1.
Now momentum has been generated and new manager John Caulfield is hugely encouraged by the manner in which United carved out the spoils. “If we are to have any chance of doing anything, you have to get that mentality in,” Caulfield says.
“It is one thing saying you get wins, that creates a fantastic attitude. There are stages in games, and I know how difficult it is, particularly when Rovers scored, their tails were up. For 10 or 15 minutes we had to dig in, to make sure we didn’t concede a second one.
“They had a couple of chances, Kevin [Horgan] made a save, they had a couple of corners, and we defended brilliantly.
“You have to do that. Hopefully over the next period of time that is what I’m going to work on, because having that strong will, that strong belief and mentality, in a lot of these tight games that is the difference between maybe coming out with no point and coming out with three points.”
That United continued to battle until the death bodes well, although Cauflield acknowledged it wasn’t good for the heart. “No, certainly not, but I suppose I have been used to a few occasions like that.
“It was sweet to win. It was a game I was worried all week about. It was dangerous after two wins against Athlone and UCD. The feeling going into those matches was I thought we would win those matches because there was no pressure on the team. You come into this game and everyone expects you are going to win.
“Shamrock Rovers, a beautiful team, their rotation was fantastic, they play a good system, brilliant on the ball. In the first 20 minutes they were all over us, we couldn’t get at them. I said that to the team afterwards, it is a warning.
“The danger is you win two games you come into Shamrock Rovers and people are thinking they are a young team, that it is going to be easy.
“No game is easy, this was one of those games where we had to dig in and over the course of the game we created a few chances. Were we lucky to win? Of course we were, but at the same time it was great to score a late winner.”
Next on the agenda for United, who are now only six points off the promotion placings, is a tricky tussle with Wexford and Caulfield is eager to improve further.
“You need to build a strong winning mentality. Unfortunately that hasn’t been here for a while, so that is something we are having to work on. You keep your feet on the ground because every week is a huge challenge, you have to be ready for it.”
