2016 Season Review - Galway United

Team: Galway United

Manager: Shane Keegan (recently appointed)

Top Scorer: Vinny Faherty – 12

With Jake Keegan moving on at the end of last season, the club looked to local boy Vinny Faherty to fill the American striker's boots and the Salthill native has not disappointed. Vinny has been in great shape physically, and, along with his leadership, goals and all-round build-up play, the former Limerick FC man has been crucial to United securing status as a Premier Division club.

Goals against Dundalk, St. Patrick's Athletic, Bohemians and Cork City throughout this season, proves Vinny´s class as a top League of Ireland striker. In four games this season where Faherty struck first, United won 1-0.  The 29 year old is currently a more complete player than he was during his first stint at United, in 2014. If Galway, under new manager Shane Keegan, are serious about becoming a force to be reckoned with, Faherty´s goals and leadership will be key to this.

Highest Attendance: 2,578 v 1-0 win over Dundalk

The recently crowned Premier Division champions had just beaten FC BATE Borisov 3-0 in Tallaght three days earlier and came to Galway looking a tad distracted. Nonetheless, the biggest crowd of the season was treated to a superb home performance over the best team in the league. Walking away from Eamonn Deacy Park that night, United supporters could be forgiven for believing the Tribesmen would capitalise on the win and break into the top six.

However, this was as good as it got for United in 2016. Two wins and a draw from their remaining 13 games saw United finish a less than satisfactory ninth on the league table.

Lowest Attendance: 400 (estimate) v 3-0 win over Mayo League in EA Sports Cup

Young striker Padraic Cunningham collected the match ball in this one-sided encounter on a Monday evening in the City of the Tribes.

Star Player: Ryan Connolly

Vinny Faherty may have grabbed the goals and headlines but those chances were more often than not created by the left boot of Ryan Connolly. The club captain is their talisman and inspiration and, when he´s not in the side Galway struggle to create chances and win games.

When the Mayo man was out injured for the month of May, United did not win or draw a single game. On his return to the first team, the Tribesmen drew at home to Derry and away to Bohs, with the influential playmaker scoring in the 1-1 result at Dalymount Park.

The 24 year old netted five times in the 2016 season, becoming United´s third highest scorer. Another vitally important player to United´s cause, going forward, and the club should do all they can to keep Ryan and his cultured left peg in the city of the Tribes.

Best Young Player: Conor Melody

19-year-old Conor Melody was recently voted the club´s Young Player of the Year by the fans and his performances in the latter half of the season have justified this decision. The young winger has had injury troubles over the past year, but 2016 saw him regularly appear in the United matchday squad. If Melody can keep the nagging injuries at bay we may just see him reach his potential in 2017.

Best New Signing: Armin Aganoivc

At the end of last season former United manager Tommy Dunne went to the FIFA PRO tournament in Oslo and came away with a new centre back in Armin Aganovic. The Swede captained his national team to the FIFA Pro title and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Once in Galway, Armin unfortunately didn't see action for a number of weeks due to an injury. When he got his chance in the first team he became a first choice centre back. Commanding and strong in the air, at 22, Armin is a burgeoning future captain of the club (should he stay) and now that Keegan has been appointed, the defensive side of the team should be built around the Swede.

Special note for Stephan Folan and fans´ Player of the Year Kevin Devaney who both had superb seasons.

What we expected they would do:

Having rebuffed relegation by finishing in 10^th position last season, United´s aim for 2016 was to consolidate their position in the Premier Division, which, in effect, they did. A very good season for the club would have constituted a top-half finish, something Galway has not achieved in the top flight since the early nineties.

In pre-season our writers worried about the impact Jake Keegan leaving would have on Galway´s goal-getting abilities, but local boy Vinny Faherty has stepped up to the mark to alleviate those worries.

What they actually did:

9^th – Slightly disappointing way to end the season. The club could well have finished in the top six. However, inconsistency on the pitch, injuries to a stretched squad, and players leaving mid-season meant Galway missed out on sixth spot by eight points. For a club that's only three years back in League of Ireland football, it still is progress.

What they need to improve on for next year:

On the pitch, they need to win more games and concede less goals - easier said than done of course.

Galway won only one more league game in 2016 than in the 2015 season. A goal difference of -10 does not make for great reading and perhaps looking for a solid defensive midfielder and a right back should be top of the shopping list.

Off the pitch, retaining players and keeping their current crop happy has become harder for a club with limited resources. Signing players is one thing, getting them to commit to Galway is another.

When players are not based in or around the city and county, playing commitments and work issues will arise and, ultimately, clash.

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld moment of season:

Galway United fan Cameron Loughnane requesting, and succeeding, via Twitter, in getting his curly hair and face broadcast live on Eir Sport (at the time it was Setanta Sports) during United´s 2-1 defeat away to Dundalk in early May. The camera deliberately seeked him out in the away section after Cameron cheekily tweeted Eir Sport to get him on TV. They obliged and tweeted him back showing the proof.