League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Galway United

SHAMROCK ROVERS

It was a chastening experience for Shamrock Rovers in Thessaloniki on Thursday night with the 4-0 first leg loss to PAOK effectively ending their Europa League play-off as a competitive tie. The scores were level in first half injury time but a goal conceded then, another one early in the second half and a harsh sending off for Josh Honohan proved critical. 

Rovers stayed on in Greece after the game, flying back the following morning and they have next Thursday’s home second leg to come which will end a run of eight weeks in a row in European action.

They will most likely have a European break until the beginning of October before the Conference League starts so their attention switches to domestic action beginning this Sunday. The Hoops host Galway United for this early evening kick-off of 7pm and if Rovers are to get back to the Champions League qualifiers next year, victory over Galway United is a must.

The Tribesmen sit sixth in the table behind Rovers only on goal difference. A win for Rovers would move them up to third in the table and eight points off top spot with a game in hand on Shels and two on Derry City (who lead the league on goal difference from the Reds).

“There were lots of positives in the first half against PAOK,” said Stephen Bradley speaking to shamrockrovers.ie in the build up to Sunday’s game.  

“You come off it for seven minutes with a really poor sending off, the whole game changes at that level. We have to understand it, we’re not happy with the scoreline, but you have to accept at that level you’ll get punished. So, we move on quickly.

"Galway is another massive game for us, probably more important than last Thursday. We know off the back of Celje away when we played Drogheda at home (drawing 1-1), we were nowhere near good enough. We know we need to be a lot better.

“John Caulfield and Ollie Horgan have been around a long time. John has won everything domestically, he’s a clever man. His teams are always really well set up and clued into what they’re doing. They know what they’re good at and are good at it.

"We have to respect what Galway are good at. If we don’t, they’ll punish us. They have players through the spine of their team who have been around the league a long time and who have won things. We found out against Galway in Tallaght the last time, if you’re not at it and give them opportunities, they’ll take them.

"Galway are having a brilliant season so we know we have to be so much better than what we were against Drogheda if we want to beat Galway.”

GALWAY UNITED

If Galway United can claim three points, they would move into third in the table. Easier said than done as the Tribesmen have never won a Premier Division game in Tallaght.

They had lost every competitive match in the Dublin 24 venue against Rovers’ first team up until their last visit to Tallaght where they came away with a point – that was the first time in 22 matches that United hadn’t lost to the Hoops’ senior team. 

They came oh so close to winning though with only a Johnny Kenny goal six minutes from time stopping them earn their maiden Tallaght top flight win.

Kenny got the winner late on in Galway early on in the season so the away team will be glad to note that Kenny remains out injured for Rovers this weekend.

The John Caulfied and Ollie Horgan combination has been brilliant for the Tribesmen.

Having gained promotion to the Premier Division with apparent ease last year, they have kept up that momentum this season and they are now very much in the European hunt rather than any relegation trevails.

Last time in Dublin, United were eliminated from the FAI Cup on penalties by Shelbourne at Tolka Park.

Referee: Gavin Colfer

MATCH STATS

The Hoops are 32 matches unbeaten against the Tribesmen. 

You have to go back to 2006, when both teams were playing in the First Division, for United’s last win over a Rovers first team.

PREDICTION

2-0 home win

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: Rory Gaffney, Johnny Kenny, Trevor Clarke

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Galway United

Injured: n/a

Doubtful: Regan Donelan

Suspended: None