Galway United’s busy pre-season continues with another friendly against Shamrock Rovers at Fahy’s Field on Saturday (6pm ).
Yesterday evening United hosted Stephen O’Donnell’s Dundalk, following Friday’s impressive 2-0 win over St Patrick’s Athletic at Lecarrow.
Sweet second half goals from Mikie Rowe and Jordan Adeyemo decorated a fine United display which impressed manager John Caulfield. “I think it is good because premier division teams like Pat's and we saw it against Shels, they move the ball quickly, they make you work hard,” Caulfield says.
“We are very grateful to Gerry Tully and everyone involved with the Roscommon and District League for staging this fixture.
“For the first 20 minutes it was hard for us to get into the game, they were moving the ball so well. Obviously Eoin Doyle, who is after coming back from England, was up top, they tried to play him in, and they were looking dangerous. We settled down, and in the lead up to half-time we got a grip on the game. I thought we were looking threatening.”
United’s perseverance was rewarded after the break. “In the second half, obviously in these games, changes are being made, but I thought we were solid,” Caulfield adds. “There was a great move for the goal, a brilliant finish by Mikie Rowe, a brilliant through ball by Dave Hurley for Ed McCarthy.
“It was a great finish by Mikie. Then Jordan got another great finish. It is our third week into pre-season with hard work, the lads are working really hard. We need to get up to full fitness, but overall it was another good work.”
The diligent manner in which United defended satisfied Caulfield, who is close to finalising his squad for the 2022 campaign. “We are trying to work on our formation and whatever with different players coming in, we had trial players too,” Caulfield says. “The squad really has settled down now. From next week on we should be nearly with our full squad. We have been working on a few things.
“Sometimes with patterns, moving the ball quickly, and interchanging they can pull you out of shape so it does take a little bit of organisation. In fairness to the lads they kept at it. Then you could see we got a bit of a grip and we made it more difficult for them.
“We got into the game ourselves and I felt in the second half that we controlled the game. It was pleasing, it is only pre-season, but games like this are brilliant. It is better than training.”
Another fixture at the weekend is scheduled against the Hoops. “We have Shamrock Rovers - the league champions, a great occasion for our supporters to come out to see Jack Byrne and all of these lads,” Caulfield says.
“For us it is again about our squad - giving everyone a run out. These are the type of games we want at the moment, it just makes you sharp.”
**Listen to the full interview with John Caulfield on this week’s ‘Cian on Sport’ podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
