McCormack says United must avoid slow start of last season
Galway United captain Conor McCormack says it is crucial his side don’t repeat their slow start to last season when they get their 2022 First Division campaign underway in just four weeks’ time.
United’s hopes of automatic promotion last season were as good as over by the midseason break, when they had won just two of their first nine league games – though they were awarded a 3-0 win over Cabinteely as well – to leave them seventh in the table, 11 points behind Shelbourne.
The Dublin side went on to claim then title with six points to spare over United, who recovered from that poor start to finish second in the table, only for their promotion hopes to end in the play-off semi-final against Bray Wanderers.
“It is a pity there wasn’t an extra round of games last year because we were in great form coming to the end of the league and I am pretty sure that if there was an extra round, we would have caught Shels,” said McCormack, who was talking to City Sport after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Shelbourne in a preseason friendly in Eamonn Deacy Park.
“It was disappointing losing to Bray, they had one shot in the two legs and scored from it. We were the better team but that is football when it comes to playoffs, we just need to make sure we are ready now for the first game down in Cork,” he said.
That first game is on Friday February 25, and will be followed by a home game against Waterford FC, one of the toughest starts United could have been handed.
“Yeah, it is a tough start, Cork away and Waterford at home, but there are some great teams in the division this year, a lot of teams who will be expected to win promotion.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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