Ex-United star knows what’s in store for Sligo at Terryland

Date Published: 30-Mar-2011

GALWAY United host provincial rivals Sligo Rovers in Terryland Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm), looking to bounce back from Monday shock EA Sports Cup exit, and visiting right-back Alan Keane is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge last season’s double cup winners face on the Dyke Road.

The Abbeyknockmoy native spent four seasons with United before joining Sligo Rovers at the start of the 2008 campaign, and having played in 11 of the 18 league clashes between the sides in that time, he more than most knows what to expect on Friday night.

“We’re expecting a tough game, Terryland has not been the happiest hunting ground for us in recent years. I know United lost on Monday night, but I wouldn’t imagine the League Cup was high on their priority list and they beat Bohs last week so we know we’ll get nothing easy there,” says Keane.

While United were winning for the fourth time in five meetings with Bohemians last weekend, Keane was part of the Sligo side that passed Drogheda United off the park in the Showgrounds, a game plan which the right-back says is demanded by manager Paul Cook.

“We try to build from the back and spray the ball around. We lost our shape a little against Bray a few weeks ago and resorted to pumping long balls forward looking for a goal, and the gaffer blew his top with us after the game for doing that.

“We just need to be patient, to retain possession and then make the most of a mistake by the opposition. We played Portadown in the Setanta Cup on Monday night, and one of their players said we were the best passing side he had ever played against,” said Keane.

Read extended interview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.