Only a freak set of results can deny Galway United top flight survival

BOOSTED by the re-signing of key players and, more importantly, their Premier Division status for 2016 all but secured, Galway United will hope they can finish the season in winning fashion when they host St. Patrick’s Athletic in their final league fixture at Éamon Deacy Park on Friday (7:45pm).

Three points ahead of Drogheda – and with a superior goal difference of seven – United would want to fall into an abyss to be dragged back into relegation territory. Mathematically, it’s not impossible but it would require Tommy Dunne’s men losing to St. Pat’s by four goals and Drogheda United defeating third placed Shamrock Rovers away by the same margin.

No doubt, with European football still within St. Pat’s grasp, they will not want to drop points at the Terryland venue and this should put Galway United on red alert in terms of having to deliver a performance against a side they have struggled to secure victory over in three meetings this season.

“We have played quite a few times and we haven’t come out on the right side of those results,” agreed Dunne. “That said, the (EA Sports) Cup final was a draw after 90 minutes and I thought the game up in Inchicore earlier in the year, if we hadn’t gone down to 10 men, we were there or thereabouts.

“So, we have improved each time we played them. We are looking forward to the game on Friday but we just have to make sure we are clued in. It is the last game but in saying that, there is not a huge amount of pressure on us. So, we can go out and play and enjoy the match as much as we can.”

Again, with St. Pat’s still in the hunt for European qualification, Dunne believes it should keep both teams honest. “Pat’s, in fairness, have a lot to play for,” he continued. “They need to get a result because if Bohs beat Cork and if we beat Pat’s, Bohs will take the European spot. So, Pat’s have quite a bit to play for.

“From that side of things, Pat’s will come down all guns blazing I would imagine. From our point of view, we just have to make sure we are not caught on the hop and we are ready for this game because, of course, you want to finish the season on the highest note you possibly can and a win would do that.”

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