Galway United host Drogheda United tonight on opening weekend of new season

The Dyke Road venue will be one of two home grounds for United this season, as the Tribesmen will make the temporary move to Pearse Stadium during the summer when under-pitch drainage works take place at Eamonn Deacy Park, but for now, all the focus is on the season opener on the banks of the Corrib.

If the club produces a match programme for the game, it should prove a sell-out as people will need the pen-pics to identify most of the squad: 11 new signings have been made, as well as the promotion of two players from the Academy; while of the players that ended the 2025 season at United, a dozen of them are no longer at the club.

Some have gone to pastures new, like Brendan Clarke (Athlone Town), Jeannot Esua (Sligo Rovers), Rob Slevin (Derry City), Bobby Burns (Dundalk), Garry Buckley (Cobh Ramblers), Patrick Hickey (Bohemians), and Vince Borden (Kerry FC).

In addition, Regan Donelon, Colm Horgan, Malcolm Shaw, and Jeremy Sivi have all been released; while former Republic of Ireland international Greg Cunningham last week announced his retirement from professional football.

Such a high turnover is never ideal, but there is real concern at the impact it will have on United’s defence, which was the one area that kept the club up last season, when they finished 8th.

United couldn’t buy a goal at times – they only averaged just over a goal a game, scoring 37 times in 36 league matches, with only relegated Cork City scoring fewer (33).

However, of the teams that finished in the bottom four, United had the best defence, conceding just 44 goals, 10 fewer than Sligo Rovers, who finished one place and two points above them; 16 better than 9th placed Waterford; and 17 better than City.

The fact, then, that United’s first-choice defence from last season has been wiped-out is a worry, and allied with the struggles of last season, is probably why so many people have written them off for 2026.

First-choice goalkeeper Clarke is gone, though Evan Watts’ return for another period on loan from Swansea City is a massive boost. Full-backs/wing-backs Esua and Burns are gone as well, as are Donelon and Horgan, their cover out wide.

The loss of Slevin from the centre of defence breaks-up the 2023 First Division title-winning centre-back pairing of himself and Killian Brouder: in the 78 leagues games in which they both started, United only conceded 65 goals.

Garry Buckley provided cover at the back or in midfield; while Patrick Hickey’s prowess in the air was as crucial in defending the United penalty area as it was a threat at the other end of the pitch,

Dara McGuinness is believed to be injured for the start of the season; and while Stephen Walsh came good at the tail end of last season, scoring four goals in the final five games, before that he had scored just once in 31 games, though in his defence, he started just 16 of those games, and played the full 90 minutes in just four of them.

Malcolm Shaw was brought in to replace the departed Moses Dyer but god bless him, he couldn’t kick it out of his way, and after failing to score in his first seven games, he didn’t see a single minute of action in the club’ final 11 games.

The Tribesmen have brought in Ottawa native Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau from the MLS in North America to play up front; as well as bringing back Francely Lomboto after a year spent at firstly Sligo Rovers, and then Glenavon in the NIFL.

United fans will hope the new signings are more Moses Dyer than Shaw dire, but Caulfield says the club needs to improve on bringing through its own players from the Academy. James Morahan recently signed his first professional contract with United, but broke down in training not long after and is set for a spell on the sidelines.

Cillian Tollett should add to the 11 senior appearance he made last season, having made his debut in the final game of the previous campaign; while Junior Thiam made his debut last season; and Billy Regan should do the same in 2026.

Pictured: Galway United manager John Caulfield and new club captain, Jimmy Keohane, at the league launch in Dublin. Photo : Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile.