Galway United set their stall on defying the doom merchants

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

AS Galway United embark on a new season, where they will look to avoid being one of the three clubs to be relegated from the top-flight in a reshuffle to the League of Ireland by the FAI, their new captain Colm Horgan insists he is more than optimistic about the campaign ahead.

Indeed, Horgan, who at 22 years of age must be one of the youngest captains in League of Ireland football, believes this is the best squad the club has assembled in recent years and he says don’t be surprised if they exceed many people’s modest expectations.

Certainly, an impressive pre-season, in which they won five of their six friendlies, should imbue the team and supporters with a measure of confidence heading into this Friday evening’s Premier Division opener against Drogheda United at Eamonn Deacy Park.

“You have to be optimistic,” reiterates Horgan. “It’s a new season and if you are not optimistic, you might as well not get involved. I think in every dressing-room there will be that optimism that they can finish higher than what people might expect, ourselves included. From looking at the lads we have brought in, along with the lads we have kept, I think we are stronger now than ever before.

“So, I really do think we could be a dark horse. I am not going to talk us up or build us up too much. I have heard a lot of people saying Galway United could be one of the three to go down but I know now that if we play to our own ability and we go out and work as hard as we can, and put the hard yards in during the game, we can live with anyone on our day.”

That there is fighting talk but Horgan acknowledges with three instead of one going down this season, the margins are tighter than ever. “Yeah, every single game matters. Every single minute matters,” he states.

“So, it could be a bit of a nightmare for some teams but hopefully not for us. Hopefully we can start well this year. I know we fell away towards the end of last year and it did become a bit shambolic, being honest about it. However, if we can start well and carry that through we have a great chance to move up the table, far away from that relegation battle.”

Of course, reigning champions Dundalk, who captured the imaginations of many last season with their plucky run in both the Champions League play-offs and, subsequently, the Europa League, should again be the team to beat. Horgan agrees.