The stakes could scarcely be piled higher for Shelbourne’s visit to Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday.
Both sides are deadlocked on 38 points with three games to go. They each trail Athlone by two, who enjoy the advantage of having played a game less.
In that context, it is difficult to see this as anything other than a title eliminator. The winner will keep Athlone honest until season’s end. The loser will be hard-pressed to overcome two rivals. A draw would likely doom both.
Yet, there should be little doom in the ranks of Galway United. There has been further progress this season. The Avenir Sports All-Island Cup has been retained. They will surpass last year’s points total as soon as they register another point. They have already scored more than last season.
Most importantly, they enter the critical phase in contention for the league title. They have proved themselves a match for Athlone if they can get to the final day in contention. However, Shels have enjoyed the upper hand since a statement victory for United in Tolka Park early last season.
Shels have won the last three meetings between the teams. The league defeat in Tolka was the most damaging, coming as it did in the middle of a three-game losing streak. United have been almost perfect either side of that slump, winning 12 and drawing 2.
There was also the cup reversal last month in Terryland. Phil Trill was sanguine after that setback, focusing on the positives of that performance.
They will need to harness these to deliver a result on Saturday evening. The squad appears in good health. Trill opted to shuffle his deck last time out against DLR Waves, holding Jenna Slattery and Kate Thompson in reserve.
Lynsey McKey was a welcome addition to the bench and will be pushing for involvement after picking up an injury against Sligo Rovers.
There is competition all over. Emily Kavanaugh has picked a good time to get in the goals, scoring three in her last four. Canadian Amanda Smith started in Dublin and Cork and has scored important goals too. After being in and out of the side, Lucy Jane Grant has started the last six and played every minute.
Emma Doherty had been in fine fettle, forming a fearsome partnership with Julie-Ann Russell. She has had to be satisfied with minutes off the bench since the draw down in Wexford.
It all means that there are decisions in every line for Trill who was even rotating his ‘keepers as recently as last month. Such is his faith in his squad, only Jamie Erickson has started all of the 17 league games. The stalwart has played every minute in another solid season.
She will need to lead her side once again against a Shels side that are the second best scorers in the league. The cup finalists have scored 13 in their last 3 games. Kate Mooney has accounted for five of them. Veterans Noelle Murray and Pearl Slattery always carry a threat, but Slattery, August’s player of the month in the league, did not feature in the cup semi-final last weekend.
Whatever sides take to the field on Saturday, they will be strong. There is likely to be little between the sides. The incentive for victory and the free-scoring of both sides suggest a classic. Either way, the stakes guarantee tension and intrigue. They should command a crowd worthy of the occasion, something that could tip the scales in favour of United’s young heroes.
