Archive News
Full strength Hull City to hand Galway Utd a pre-season boost
Date Published: {J}
Keith Kelly
ENGLISH Premier Division side Hull City will bring a first-team squad with them to Terryland Park next Friday, February 26, for a friendly with Galway United (kick-off 7.45pm).
Manager Phil Brown and his assistant Brian Horton will travel with a squad of 18 players that will include Irish internationals Stephen Hunt, Paul McShane, Kevin Kilbane, with other confirmed panel members including the likes of Nick Barmby, Amr Zaki, Bernard Mendy, Jimmy Bullard, Dean Marney, Kamil Zayatte, Seye Olofinjana, Richard Garcia and Matt Duke.
Hull City were originally scheduled to play Aston Villa in an English Premier League game next weekend, but that game has been postponed because Villa take on Manchester United in the League Cup on the Sunday.
“I am appealing to all soccer followers in Galway to come to the Hull game. You are only as good as the budget you have, and our budget is pretty tight, so this game is very important for us to generate revenue.
“We have two very good First Division clubs in this city, but Galway United needs to be at the pinnacle in the Premier Division, it needs to be the team young guys want to play for, and we need the support of the public for this game.
“They are bringing over what is effectively their first team, it will be a very strong Hull side and it would be great to get a huge crowd into Terryland for the game,” Connor told Citysport yesterday.
Tickets are now on sale from the Galway United offices in Terryland Park, from Zhivago on Shop Street, and from Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets cost €15 for adults – season tickets don’t apply for the game.
Galway United defender Seamus Conneely, who recommitted to the club this week, has been named in the Irish U21 squad to take on Armenia in the Tallaght Stadium on Wednesday March 3. Conneely is the only League of Ireland player in the squad, and his inclusion comes on the back of impressive performances for the U-21s in November.
Sean Connor’s squad for the new season is starting to take shape, with Karl Sheppard, Jamie Creaney and Jamie McKenzie all signing this week, while it is hoped agreement will be reached with English defender Bee Ami, former Dundalk defender Thomas Heary and Austrian U-21 midfielder Ingo Enzenberger by this evening.
Dublin-born Sheppard joins from Everton, who had signed the striker from Shelbourne few season ago. James Creaney was on the books of Dundalk last season, while Jamie McKenzie has played with Sligo Rovers, and was their captain at one stage.
For more, read page 46 of this week’s Galway City Tribune.