Promotion hopes dashed but United heading on right road

Galway United 1

Longford Town 2

Keith Kelly at the Belfield Bowl

DREAMS of a return to the top flight have to wait for at least another season for Galway United as their season was brought to an end in the First Division play-offs final by Longford Town at the neutral venue of the Belfield Bowl in Dublin on Friday.

Truth be told, United can have no complaints about the result as they were second best from first whistle to last against a side that was clearly determined not to be filleted in the manner in which they were the last time the two sides met, United coming from 2-0 down to humiliate the Midlands side 6-2 on their own patch back in October.

They might have been the designated away team on Friday night, but Longford looked right at home on the immaculate playing surface at Clonskeagh and were full value for their win.

While United will have no complaints about the result, the players will feel a little disappointed at their own personal, and collective, performances as they simply never got going on the night. The lack of creative spark in a cumbersome midfield was disappointing, and they just never got any kind of passing game going.

In truth, this squad is nowhere near ready for the top flight. John Caulfield will now build his own squad, rather than inheriting one, for a 2021 season that looks intriguing, even at this early stage – United and Bray will be joined by a relegated Cork City; either Longford or Shels will be there as well; there may be a return of a team from Limerick; and throw a resurgent Athlone Town into the mix, it should be a cracking contest for promotion once again.

Caulfield was forced into one change from the side that started against Bray Wanderers in the play-offs semi-final, with Mikey Place coming into the side in place of the suspended Stephen Christopher, a delayed consequence of the inept performance of referee Adriano Reale in United’s 3-1 defeat to Drogheda – Christopher’s absence on Friday was due to an additional one game ban after been sent off by Reale last month.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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