Utd turn to Spanish Armada to float promotion hopes

Galway United are hopeful their new ‘Spanish Armada’ will help the club to sail back into the top-flight of Irish football, having been anchored in the First Division for what will be a fifth consecutive season in 2022.

The club announced the signing of the Spanish duo of defender, Diego Portilla (27) and striker Manu Dimas (29) last weekend, bringing to 14 the number of players who have been announced as having signed with the club for a season which gets underway next month.

United manager John Caulfield told City Sport this week that both Caolfhionn O’Dea and Shane Doherty have also put pen to paper with the club for the 2022 campaign; while Dean O’Shea, who made two appearances at the back-end of last season. is also tied down for 2022.

As well as that trio, other players from last year’s squad who have been confirmed for this season are Killian Brouder, David Hurley, Conor Kearns, Francely Lomboto, Conor McCormack, Ronan Manning, Alex Murphy, Conor O’Keeffe, Mikey Rowe, Stephen Walsh, and Wilson Waweru.

Dimas and Portilla are joined by another new face, with Jordan Adeyomo, a striker, joining from Drogheda United.

It was put to him that having Lomboto and Manning back on the books us effectively like two new signings: Lomboto missed all of last season after breaking his leg in United’s final preseason friendly, a week before the start of the season; while Manning played just two games early in the 2021 season before rupturing his cruciate ligament in early May.

“It is great to have the lads back, Francely is fully back with us, back fully training, but Ronan, he is only easing himself back in, he has a bit of a way to go yet, we probably won’t see him in a squad until April or May.

“The new season is four rounds of games, so while he will miss the start, there will still be plenty of games for him to be involved in and we are looking forward to having a fully-fit Ronan showing everyone just how good we know he can be,” Caulfield said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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