United Seek Boost in Derby Tie

RARELY has a Connacht soccer derby loomed on the horizon with such turmoil in both clubs, as Galway United and Sligo Rovers have witnessed a virtual clearout of important players in the leadup to tonight’s Premier Division showdown at Terryland Park (7.45pm).There is no doubt, though, that United are in a far worse predicament. Rooted to the bottom of the table with one win and four draws from 17 games, they have shown no less than eight players the exit door with five transfers confirmed as of yesterday.The transfers of Gary Deegan (Shamrock Rovers) and Derek O’Brien (St. Pat’s), in particular, have questioned the club’s real stomach for a fight for survival given that they will sorely miss such key men in the coming weeks.Ultimately, the decision by the club’s Board to go full-time and the sacking of Tony Cousins weeks into the current campaign have come back to haunt United as they face a real struggle to stay up for the remainder of the season. If Cousins was not up to the job, he should have gone before the 2008 campaign even began.While there were encouraging signs in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Cork City, the morale of the players will come under question tonight and a home tie against Sligo is the kind of game United simply must win if they...