John Caulfield - 'The only result was our result, and at the end of the day I had said that all along and I never looked any further'

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

It was the end of the line for Galway United’s 2020 season on Tuesday night after playing out a 2-2 draw with UCD at Eamonn Deacy Park, the single point meant that The Tribesmen will finish in sixth place in the First Division and miss out on a spot in the playoffs.

“It was a strange match in the sense that, I was saying earlier on that if there was ever a night you wanted a crowd it was tonight,” Galway United manager John Caulfield said, speaking to the media after the game.

“In the first-half we were well on top and UCD were on the counter attack and dangerous, we had lots of corners and set-pieces and were close a number of times and then we scored.

“On the ground the wind was very difficult, and the rain, we probably needed a second goal before half-time we know what UCD can do, they’re very good players.

“We always have goals as a team ultimately when it came down to it we defended really well in the second-half when there was a hail of wind and rain for good parts of it but ultimately we gave away two soft goals.”

United had done well to be in a position to make the playoffs at all coming into the final day of the season with the club floundering in the First Division having not picked up a single win before Caulfield replace Alan Murphy in August.

“When we took over we said that we’d have to do something incredible like win eight games out of ten to get to the playoffs.

“We won seven and drew one and if Cabinteely hadn’t gotten the two points from the objection we’d have been in the playoffs, so it’s frustrating.

“The lads have done great, they’ve done their best.

“It’s the third game in the week and it was difficult, you could see that we tired so it’s frustrating from that point of view but we know we need to make massive improvements for next year.”

Caulfield’s side needed results to go their way elsewhere on the final day of the season, but the manager was only ever interested in what his team had to do.

“The only result was our result, and at the end of the day I had said that all along and I never looked any further. I knew tonight was a really dangerous game.

“There was a lot of nonsense that UCD might come down with half a team.

“UCD are a real proud club, they don’t throw reserve players out, they play because of the integrity of the League and rightly so.

“They don’t put out reserve teams like other clubs have done. I expected them to come with their strongest team and they did.

“It was trying to get the recovery after a huge effort last Tuesday, on Saturday and again tonight. They’re the one team in this division that will make you run and they’ll work you.

“I’m disappointed for the lads and I’m disappointed for our supporters but at the same time, we’ve come in with a job to do, a big job and the intention was always to get the team ready for next season but we were desperately close and when you are so close it is frustrating.”