Galway United face into must-win Western derby against Sligo

GALWAY United manager Shane Keegan says his players need to be more clinical when they take on Sligo Rovers in a must-win Connacht derby in Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday (7.45pm).

Both sides are in a desperate battle to avoid the drop, and with games running out – both sides will have four games left after Friday – neither side can afford to drop points, particularly against clubs around them in the relegation scrap.

Drogheda United are doomed in 12th place on 18 points, but there is a real scramble between five other sides to avoid joining them in the First Division next season, with just three points separating Limerick in 7th from United in 11th.

“I don’t think there will be many goals in the game, so it is important we are far more clinical in front of goal,” Keegan told Tribune Sport this week. “We haven’t been out of the bottom three in five months, but this weekend gives us a great chance to change that, and it is a chance we have to take,” says Keegan.

The bookies have United as marginal favourites for Friday’s game, and if the home team do the business, and the other five games in the division go the way of the favourites this weekend, then United couild climb to 7th by the end of the weekend.

“It’s that close, one win could lift you four places. I thought we were full value for the win against Derry, but it should have been more comfortable than it was. We had plenty of chances that we just didn’t convert, and we need to take those opportunities in what will be a close game on Friday,” Keegan says.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.