League Preview: Galway United -v- Treaty United

GALWAY UNITED

Galway United will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the First Division season when they host Treaty United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Monday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Tribesmen secured a second win of the season and extended their unbeaten run to three games with a 3-1 win over Bray Wanderers on Friday night.

David Hurley scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot to open Galway’s account on Friday night, Stephen Walsh added a second only for Bray’s Hugh Douglas to score and give Galway a scare.

Wanderers had that foothold until late on in the game when Shane Doherty broke away and clinched the three points with a goal after coming off the bench.

Attention now turns to Monday night’s game against Treaty United – often stern opposition for the boys in maroon based on last season.

“Matches are what we look forward to, we prepare for a very tough game against Treaty,” Galway assistant manager Colin Fortune told the club’s media team.

“Treaty have a lot of top players, they are going to be there or thereabouts also. But we are going to be ready for it, it was a battle on Friday night – we will recover and be ready to go again on Monday.”

With a third game in the space of a week coming up on Friday night against Athlone, it will be interesting to see if John Caulfield makes some changes to Galway’s starting team in order to rest some players.

TREATY UNITED

Treaty United come into this game having had their Friday night fixture against Longford Town postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the second time this season that has happened.

The Limerick side opened their season with a 5-1 drubbing of Wexford in February with Enda Curran scoring a brace on his return to the League of Ireland, Callum McNamara, Joel Coustrain and Joe Gorman scored the other three goals for Tommy Barrett’s side.

They have only played one other game so far this season with Cobh Ramblers holding them to a scoreless draw at St Colman’s Park on Friday, 4 March leaving the side sitting in fifth place currently.

With so many former Galway United players in their ranks they have always proved a tough side to crack for the Tribesmen since joining the League last season and Monday night will surely be no difference.

They will certainly be trying to hold on to their record of having never been beaten at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Referee: Michael Connolly

MATCH STATS

Since Treaty United’s entry into the League of Ireland the sides have faced each other three times.

Galway United are unbeaten across all three meetings between the sides, with one win and two draws in the fixtures during the 2021 season.

The Tribesmen have some former Treaty United personnel on the books with Ed McCarthy and Evan O’Connor now in John Caulfield’s squad, but Treaty have no less than eight former Galway United players – Conor Winn, Joe Gorman, Jack Lynch, Marc Ludden, Stephen Christopher, Conor Melody, Joe Collins and Enda Curran.

BETTING

Galway United 1/3; Draw 7/2; Treaty United 13/2.

PREDICTION

Galway United 1–0 Treaty United

Galway United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Treaty United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.