League Preview: Galway United -v- Drogheda United

GALWAY UNITED

Galway United will be looking to recover from their Monday night loss with a win over Drogheda United when they host the Louth side at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Tribesmen have adapted well to their return to the Premier Division so far with six points from their opening four games.

They will be disappointed with the result on Monday night however, as they lost 1-0 to Shelbourne at Tolka Park – John Martin scored the only goal of the game.

Shels are a side looking forward to European football so it would have been considered a tough ask of Galway to go to Dublin and beat them but with the performance John Caulfield’s men put in and the amount of possession they had, it did feel like there were points dropped.

That being said – they failed to create any concrete chances on Monday, and their set pieces (usually a key part of their game) weren’t up to their usual high standards.

They will have a boost with Stephen Walsh now eligible for selection after the striker spent the last three games suspended, Karl O’Sullivan filled in extremely well as a makeshift striker but it’s likely that Walsh leads the line on Friday night.

There still hasn’t been any sign of Wassim Aouachria, due to injury and it sounds like the striker will be out for a while longer meaning Galway are still limited in their striking options.

Garry Buckley hasn’t featured in the last three matchday squads after he picked up an injury against St Patrick’s Athletic and it remains to be seen if Colm Horgan will be fit to play tomorrow night, the defender was in visible discomfort late in the game against Shelbourne on Monday night.

DROGHEDA UNITED

A collective sigh of relief will have been emitted at Weavers Park on Monday night as the Boynesiders picked up their first points of the 2024 season.

Drogheda ran out 2-1 winners over Bohemians having lost their first two games – their game scheduled for last Friday night against Shamrock Rovers fell victim to the weather and was postponed.

A Danny Grant own goal and an extremely long range Evan Weir free-kick gave Kevin Doherty’s men a two goal lead in the second half on Monday, James Clarke pulled a goal back for the Gypsies but Drogheda held on to claim their first win of the season.

The disappointment of losing heavily to newly promoted Waterford will have been forgotten about with that important victory but they now face a difficult challenge of Galway United who have acquitted themselves very well in each of the games so far this season.

Referee: David Dunne

MATCH STATS

The side last met during the 2020 season, Drogheda United won both meetings between the teams that season.

Drogheda are unbeaten in their last eight games against Galway United, the Tribesmen last beat the Boynesiders in July 2017.

It may have been a very brief spell – but Drogheda’s Gary Deegan played for Galway United for a spell. That was all the way back in 2008.

BETTING

Galway United 6/10; Draw 27/10; Drogheda United 4/1.

PREDICTION

Galway United 2–0 Drogheda United

Galway United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Garry Buckley, Wassim Aouachria, Colm Horgan.

Suspended: None.

Drogheda United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.