Forging meaningful relationships with local clubs is crucial for Galway United manager John Caulfield.
Saturday's friendly against Warrenpoint at Drom afforded Caulfield an opportunity to give players, who were substitutes for the SSE Airtricity League clash against Shelbourne, a run out.
Another noteworthy aspect was the fact that a total of five players from Galway Hibernians and Maree/Oranmore sampled action.
Nathan Ward, Shane Hulgraine, Jay McPhilbin, Cian Horgan, and Ciarán Black featured in the game as Warrenpoint emerged 3-1 victors.
"I think it is vital, it was a great opportunity for all of the lads that were on the bench, a few of the lads that were coming back from injury to get some game time,"Caulfield says.
"Warrenpoint are in pre-season, they are in the premier division competing against Linfield, Glentoran, and all of the big boys in the north. So they have a new team this year. For us it was a great workout. Again Salthill Devon, fantastic facilities, they gave us their main pitch for the match. It was like a carpet, it was fantastic.
"I’d like to thank Maree/Oranmore, Martin Horgan, and Galway Hibs - Stephen Walsh. We asked them to make a number of players available. It is good for the local lads, they can come in, the five lads that came in got game time. It is good for them to come in, to see the level, to see the standard, to see how quick the game is, the pace of the match. It is a good insight for them."
Caulfield, a keen observer of the junior game, will maintain the policy of affording players opportunities. "For us it is important, I believe all soccer people whether you are in schoolboy, junior, or the League of Ireland – we should be all working together," he adds. "At the end of the day we should be working closely together, supporting each other.
"So from that point of view while I am manager of Galway United I will continually be supporting local junior and schoolboy clubs, bringing lads in on training stints or for friendly matches just to give them that opportunity to see what it is like."
