In-form Galway FC on the brink of clinching promotion play-off place

GALWAY FC could wrap-up a promotion play-off place tomorrow with a win against Cobh Ramblers in St Colman’s Park (7.45pm), while even a draw might be enough depending on Wexford Youths’ result against Shamrock Rovers B tonight.

Tommy Dunne’s side go into the weekend third in the table, five points ahead of Wexford Youths, and if Wexford fail to win tonight and Galway FC take all three points against basement side Cobh tomorrow, then their place in the play-off is guaranteed.

“There is nothing guaranteed yet, we have to go to Cobh and it is as tough a place to go in the division. The pitch is terrible, they have a very young side who are very ‘gamey’ and will just keep coming and coming at you, and they are physical enough as well.

“For me, the ground is the kind of place where you go there and can be lulled into a false sense of security, you think ‘we’ll be fine here’ and next thing you know you’ve been hit for a couple of goals.

“I watched them last week against Longford and down there against Wexford – they should have been three up against Longford; and against Wexford, they were done at the end with a last minute equaliser after absolutely playing them off the park.

“When we went down there earlier in the season they battered us at the start, they took an early lead and we should have been three down before we got one back, and the game changed when they had a man sent-off, but up to that, they were right on top of us. They beat Finn Harps in their last home game, they won’t be a pushover,” Dunne told Tribune Sport yesterday.

It is understandable Dunne is trying to dampen expectations, though his assertion that “we have a tougher game this weekend than Wexford” is, on the face of things, taking things a little too far.

Shamrock Rovers B host the men from the South East in Tallaght Stadium tonight, and while Wexford have the Indian sign over them – winning all three league meetings to date – Colin Hawkins’ side are a far more formidable opposition than Cobh.

The Cork outfit have won just two games all season and are guaranteed to finish bottom of the table, and Galway have put 13 goals past them in their three league meetings to date. Anything less than a comprehensive win tomorrow night would be a surprise, though not in Dunne’s eyes.

“We are still improving but I’m taking nothing for granted against Cobh. Yes, if we win and Wexford don’t, we are in the play-off, but if we have to wait to the last game to get it, then I’ll be happy – as long as we get it.

“What that would mean, though, is that we didn’t do our job against Cobh and next week against Shels – if it comes down to the last game at home to Wexford, then you’ve slipped up and they will go into that game in the ascendency, so we need to get the job done, and as far as I’m concerned, that means winning in Cobh and getting a result in Shels,” Dunne said.

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