Galway FC can close in on play-off place

GALWAY FC head to Tallaght Stadium on Sunday (2pm) knowing a win against Shamrock Rovers’ reserve side could all but seal their place in the promotion play-off at the end of the season.

There are still five games to go in the First Division campaign, but Galway FC enjoy a three point cushion and a vastly superior goal difference over fourth-placed Wexford Youths, who travel to league leaders Longford Town tomorrow night.

If the sides of cousins, Tommy Dunne and Tony Cousins, both record wins, then that gap will stretch to six points, and with Wexford Youths due to visit Eamonn Deacy Park on the last weekend of the campaign, Galway FC should be able to close out the deal and book a shot at promotion in their debut season in the league.

“It is certainly a very important weekend for us, no doubt. We have a very tricky game but I would like to think we have enough about us to get the win in Tallaght, and you’d expect Longford to get the win and move a step closer to the title,” said Dunne.

Sunday’s game is certainly no ‘gimme’ for Galway FC – while they hammered the side managed by Bushypark native Colin Hawkins 5-0 in Eamonn Deacy Park back in July, the Hoops’ reserves are actually the form team in the division at the minute with three successive wins, including a 6-0 drubbing of Cobh Ramblers last month.

Chris Lyons scored the only goal of the game – from the penalty spot – against Finn Harps last weekend to make it three wins on the spin and bring Harps’ 10-game unbeaten run to an end, but Dunne says the result didn’t tally with the action on the pitch.

“They had a good win against Finn Harps last week, but by all accounts Harps battered them and just couldn’t get the goals. That said, they are on a great run and we know we’ll have a tough game, but we have to travel there with the intention of getting the win,” he said.

As Harps were being downed by the Hoops last Friday night, Galway FC were struggling to see off the challenge of a Waterford United side once again hit by its annual twin struggle of a lack of cash and lack of interest down in the south east.