Another vital SSE Airtricity League first division tussle looms at Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow when Galway United host Shelbourne.
Ian Morris’ powerful outfit currently top the table, 10 points ahead of United, who suffered a damaging defeat on home turf against Cork City on Friday.
It was an action packed encounter, but United manager John Caulfield acknowledges that lapses in concentration proved costly. “What was disappointing was the two goals we conceded in the first half in a way that we haven't done since May,” Caulfield says.
United had embarked on a seven match unbeaten run before the Cork reversal. “Our form has been really good, defensively we have been very solid as a team,” Caulfield adds.
“We have been working so hard, but in fairness to the lads they came back twice to go in at half-time level. For 25 minutes in the second half I thought we were really good. We were very dominant, we created a couple of chances, but obviously we didn't take them. Then we got caught on the counter attack, we had a number of opportunities to clear the ball, but we didn't.
“I think that is what was frustrating more than anything else that Cork got their goals easy. Overall during the game we created enough chances to win, Mark McNulty was probably man of the match, the Cork goalkeeper.
“Certainly he made three very good saves, plus the fact we missed a few chances. Overall there was lots of positives, lots of good play. The crowd was fantastic, they created a great atmosphere.
“It was great to play in front of such a big crowd for the first time in over a year. They gave us great encouragement, it was a disappointment that we didn't win in front of the crowd. Still this week hopefully we can turn it around.”
An imposing Shelbourne side has set the pace in a highly competitive first division. “They are a strong team with some very good players like Ryan Brennan, Aly Gilchrist, Georgie Poynton, and JJ Lunney,” Caulfield replies. “Up front they have Michael O'Connor, a big, physical centre forward, who can hold the ball up.
“You always want to bounce back after you have had a disappointing result - the character of any team is about how they bounce back, how they prepare. It is no bigger than having Shels, who are top of the table, the team that everyone says is going to win the league. They are way ahead, it is going to be a great challenge for us.
“At the same time I'm sure we will have a tremendous crowd again, I'm sure the atmosphere will be electric. We have to go out to give a performance, like generally we have done for the last number of months, but we have to eradicate the errors we had last Friday night.”
Despite the Cork setback, Caulfield remains optimistic about United and wants to develop the club further in the coming weeks and months.
“That is the challenge, and as a management team it is what we have tried to do, off and on the pitch - to bring the club to another level where we can be seen as a serious club, obviously competing,” Caulfield says.
“You need to try to get out of the first division. We are putting plans in place that hopefully over the next couple of years our supporters will see the benefits of it, that Galway United will become a competitive club, that the supporters will see a team representing them.
“We will hopefully get into the premier division, to show we are serious about what we want to do. I have spoken to the board on a few occasions with a plan and strategy about how we want to do it.
“Ultimately at the end of the day we are hoping there will be full support behind it. Everyone can see that the club is moving forward, that we are trying to drive the club forward.
“So often over the last 25 or 30 years as a club we have been up and down the divisions, we haven't been in Europe [since 1991] and for a club in the fourth biggest city in Ireland with one club in the city - you'd imagine the club should be much more competitive than that. It is why we are putting these structures in place, hoping that we can take it to another level.”
