Under pressure United need a win to launch timely surge

GALWAY United return to action this Friday after the mid-season break needing to hit the ground running in order to keep their promotion hopes alive. John Caulfield’s side host surprise packets, Athlone Town, at Eamonn Deacy Park this evening (7.45pm), where the return of fans may provide the spark that has been missing from United’s play so far this season.

Touted as one of the favourites for the title before a ball was kicked, United find themselves closer to basement side, Wexford, than they do to table-toppers, Shelbourne, with a third of the campaign already played, and they really need to show improved form if they are to even make the play-offs.

The Tribesmen have ground to make up on that front as well, sitting two places and two points outside the top five, and they will need to do a lot better than they have managed so far this season, which has seen them win just twice on the pitch and thankful for the three points awarded to them after Cabinteely were unable to fulfil the April meeting between the sides due to Covid-19.

United may be in line for another boost from the global pandemic this weekend as there are rumours circling in Athlone that up to four of their players left the country last week – Spain is being mentioned as the destination – and as a result have broken Covid-19 protocols.

The press officer for the Midlands club was contacted by Tribune Sport on Wednesday afternoon about the reports but made no comment on the matter, but even if it is true, United really need to be better than relying on rule breaking and forced cancellations to be picking up points in the table.

“I haven’t heard anything about that but look, we have to be worrying about our own lads and not anyone else. We had a few days of a break from the group, but the lads all stayed local and did their own work and they have come back in great form,” United manager, John Caulfield, said.

“Results and performances have not been what they should, but it is not for the want of trying. We just need to get that break, to get that bounce of the ball, to instil that bit of belief.

“Sport is a funny thing, a lot of it is down to confidence, and we are trying to get that confidence into the lads, to get them to make that positive contribution on the pitch, a positive run, a positive pass, that kind of thing, and to keep the negative thoughts out of their heads,” he said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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