Season Preview 2014 - Galway FC

Manager: Tommy Dunne

Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park

Players In: Ryan Connolly (Sligo Rovers), Gary Shanahan (Mervue United), Colm Horgan (Salthill Devon), Paul Sinnott (Mervue United), Noel Varley (Mervue United), Martin Conneely (Mervue United), Marc Ludden (Mervue United), Stephen Walsh (Mervue United), Jason Molloy (Mervue United), James O’Donnell (Westport United), Vinny Faherty (Dundalk FC), Alan Murphy (Free), Ross Kenny (Mervue United), Ronan Conlon (Salthill Devon), Ger Hanley (Mervue United), Mike Elwood (Mervue United), Cian Fadden (Salthill devon), Connor Gleeson (Mervue United), Jake Keegan (FCA Darmstadt), Ryan Manning (Mervue United), Ronan Forde (Salthill Devon), Sean Gavin (Salthill Devon), James Keane (Salthill Devon), Marty Owens (Sligo Rovers) Derek O’Brien (Longford Town), Alex Byrne (Salthill Devon)

Players Out: None

Released: None

Extratime.ie Key Man: Ryan Manning

Any league of Ireland team or supporter who visited Mervue United’s Fahy’s Field last season will have left the east Galway venue speaking in tongues about Ryan Manning. He started last season as an unknown 16 year-old prospect quickly winning over the Mervue faithful and any football loving pundit. He won’t be 18 until June.

Manning will be Galway FC’s talisman this season. His cultured left-foot can open up opposition defences with his passing, and shoot with both ferocity and deadly accuracy. The Galway native’s strength and low centre of balance makes it hard for defenders to knock him off the ball and the play-maker likes to score screamers from free kicks. Nine goals in 30 appearances for Manning last season is not a bad record - out and out striker Vinny Faherty has been signed for that reason. Manning is there to create and orchestrate Galway FC’s attack, which looks set to terrorise the First Division this season.    

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Jake Keegan

The native New Yorker comes to Galway with a goal-scoring reputation from the USA all the way to Germany. The 22 year old had a promising college career with Binghamton University where he scored 11 goals in 18 games. Westchester Flames was his next port of call where he scored 27 goals in 28 games, over two seasons. Keegan turned down the Philadelphia Union in the MLS, instead chancing his arm with Israel’s Maccabi Haifa who didn’t offer him a contract. After a stint in Austria and back in the States, Keegan finally switched to Germany with semi-professional outfit FCA Darmstadt and now finds himself at Galway FC.

Keegan is physically small and light, but has great balance and awareness. His goal against Dundalk, created by Ryan Manning, had all the hall marks of a natural poacher, instinctively latching onto Manning’s through pass to coolly slot home. He’ll need time to adjust to the physical nature of Irish football and, of course, the weather this lovely country of ours so randomly throws up. 

How they did last season:

This will be Galway FC’s first season as a League of Ireland club. However, the vast majority of their players have played for Mervue United who reached the first Division playoffs last season, losing out to Longford Town.

League: N/A

FAI Cup: N/A

EA Sports Cup: N/A 

Setanta Sports Cup: N/A 

Top League Goalscorer: N/A

What to expect for 2014:

For a team that has no history in LOI it’s hard to gauge how they will fare this season. At the time of writing, however, Galway FC have taken pre-season Premier Division scalps in Sligo Rovers, Dundalk FC and recently promoted Athlone Town. What I’ve seen shows plenty of promise. A youthful, well organised team with ample class and guile throughout will cause the other teams in the First Division problems. With the vast majority of the squad ex-Mervue United players, and the likes of class act Ryan Connolly in midfield and Vinny Faherty coming on board, Galway FC are good value to be up at the summit of the Airtricity League First Division come October.

Title Odds: 4/1

First Game: vs Longford Town (Eamonn Deacy Park, March 7^th, 7.45pm)