With the mid season break edging closer, Galway United will be eager to take something from Saturday afternoon’s trip to the Morton Stadium.
Never an easy venue in which to play, Galway are certain to face a difficult tie against an expensively assembled Sporting Fingal outfit.
However United have sufficient ability to avoid defeat. Last Friday’s draw with UCD saw Galway recover from a shaky start, but the fact that a win was not eked out bothered manager Sean Connor.
“It was the second time we have scored two and only taken a point from the game. While we were positive against Fingal, I felt that we came in and out of the UCD game. If we don’t win I am not happy.”
Throughout the opening months of the campaign Connor has sought to increase expectations at the Corribside club.
“I am not going to sit here and say that I’ll accept hard-working performances without getting the results. It is a results business and I want to see the players disappointed when we don’t produce the results I think we are capable of. I felt that we had emerged from a sticky patch and really turned a corner of late, but we have crept back a bit. It’ll be interesting to see how they react from that.”
Though Galway displayed the necessary skill and spirit after leaking an early goal against UCD, the cheap concession of an equaliser proved extremely costly.
Fingal’s squad is laced with talented and experienced footballers so a gritty display will be needed. That Galway will be without Karl Sheppard, on Republic of Ireland u-19 duty with Mervue United’s Ger Hanley in the Ukraine, is a blow according to Connor.
“As a manager it is frustrating that we’ll be without Karl for the next few games, but you also have to be proud that we have brought him back into the league and that the work we are doing here has got that recognition. He is more than capable of playing at that level.”
Seamus Conneely and Stephen O’Donnell’s form has also been recognised at representative level lately, offering further proof of the decent squad of young players that Connor has assembled.
It is in the games at Dublin venues in which Galway need to exhibit their potential, and having already sampled success at Dalymount Park, a trip to Santry should not hold any fear. With Bobby Ryan probing on the right and Anto Flood capable of converting chances, Galway can disturb Liam Buckley’s charges.
Fingal like to stuff the midfield with bodies as they seek to pass the ball so Ciaran Foley and O’Donnell will occupy critical roles for Galway. Foley was honest and effective against a similarly tidy UCD unit, while O’Donnell continues to provide a nice mix of substance and subtlety.
Connor usually sets his team up to attack, and Galway exploited Fingal when they visited the west earlier in the campaign. Being similarly aggressive on Saturday could help Galway achieve another positive away result.
• Galway United Supporters’ Trust will be running a bus to Saturday’s premier division match at Morton Stadium, departing from the Marriott Hotel, Headford Road, at 4pm. To book a seat contact Ronan 087-6972823.
GUST have a number of tickets available for tomorrow’s international friendly against Algeria at the RDS. Contact Ronan for further details. Entry forms for the GUST 2010 World Cup Forecast competition are now available on-line at www.galwayunitedfc.net Entry fee is €10. Closing date for entries is the home match versus Bohemians on June 8.
