Preview: Galway United vs St Patrick's Athletic

Galway United host their seventh home game of the League campaign on Friday evening when they take on Johnny McDonnell's St Patrick's Athletic side. With only a point to show for their efforts at home thus far, Galway enter this clash on the back of a starkly contrasting 76 hours last weekend.

An encouraging performance in Dalymount Park was followed by a torrid encounter with Cobh Ramblers on Monday night. Such fixtures against your relegation rivals are paramount in a survival battle, but Galway couldn't raise a canter, never mind a gallop. Change is now needed. Change in results, player's attitudes, fortunes, and maybe even personnel are required

Being realistic, on form, Galway will have to wait until the start of August to have a chance of picking up three points when they travel to Ballybofey. Even then it will be a tough ask. The fixture list hasn't been kind on Kenna's men, as the next two months are crammed with tough encounters. But football doesn't always work out like that. "Great escapes" are possible. Confidence from an unexpected result can do wonders for any side.

Whether Galway can turn it round against 2nd placed St Pat's remains to be seen. Marc McCulloch is suspended and the injury list that was confirmed by Jeff Kenna on Monday night as having no chance of getting shorter will also be absent(Stephen O'Flynn, John Lester, Alan Keane, Ciaran Foley, and Daryl Robson). Options are limited to the young players who have been blooded this season. A rising star may be amongst them, but will Kenna risk testing them against such classy opposition

St Pat's have stuttered recently in their quest for the title. A point from their last three home games(a 0-0 draw with UCD) is not the form of champions, but they have shown enough class on the road to merit their position as candidates. They have only dropped two points on their travels to-date, a 2-1 win over a resurgent Sligo Rovers side at the Showgrounds being the pick of some fine displays.

Bohemians snatched top spot from their grasp with a win in Richmond Park on Tuesday night. Joseph Ndo made a long awaited comeback from injury but couldn't turn the tie in his side's favour. A backlash can be expected on Friday night. Another game where a lot of questions will be answered and more will become apparent.

Kick off is 7.45 p.m.