Derby time for Galway United
IT’S never too early for a crunch stretch of games in the League of Ireland, and just a couple of weeks into the new season, Galway United face that scenario tonight when they welcome Sligo Rovers to Eamonn Deacy Park (7.45pm).
It will be the 100th Connacht derby between the sides, but no sooner will the full-time whistle be blown than United will have to refocus for a Monday night trip to Dublin to take on St Patrick's Athletic after the original fixture was postponed due to the weather a fortnight ago (7.45pm).
That Monday game is on the back-burner for now, with all of the United focus on Friday night's visit of a side that, like their hosts, has been tipped to struggle this season.
Sligo Rovers were hammered 4-0 at home by Bohemians a couple of weeks ago; but they were beating Derry City with eight minutes to go in the Brandywell, only to concede two late goals; while they took a point from their trip to Waterford last weekend.
“It's a massive game on Friday night, and we need our supporters out in numbers, to get through that gate, and get behind the team.“We had big numbers in Tolka Park and they could see that it's a new group that is working very hard.
“There is a long way to go in the season, Sligo have done us for the last couple of years at home, and there is nothing between the teams and we have to be ready for the game,” Galway United manager John Caulfield said.
The transfer window closed on Monday and United made one final, and potentially crucial, move in that window when bringing in Frantz Pierrot, the Haitian striker who starred for Drogheda United in the 2024 season before firstly moving to Bosnia & Herzigovina, and then Israel.
He has been injured since before Christmas, but once fit, he will offer a serious threat up front for a side that struggled for goals last season.
The front two of Francely Lomboto and Stephen Walsh were both replaced 10 minutes into the second-half on Friday, with Caulfield saying afterwards that both had “tired quickly”, and with Dara McGuinness injured, and Nicholas Chateau an unused sub for the first two games, United's need to bolster their firepower was evident.
They won't have much time to bask/dwell on Friday night's result, as they head to Richmond Park on Monday night to face a St Patrick's Athletic side that is also sitting on a point after two games, having played out a scoreless draw with Bohemians in Lansdowne Road on the opening weekend of the season; before losing 2-0 to Shamrock Rovers last weekend.