Season Preview 2008: Galway United

The Tribesmen face a pivotal season ahead. The United Board have set lofty ambitions of a top six finish, but the realistic goal for a team who only won four of their home games last term remains avoiding relegation and a decent cup run. The Genesis inspired trap-door whereby three sides face relegation this year means the battle to survive will be very competitive.

Tony Cousins is now 18 months into his tenure at Terryland Park, and in this time the former Drogheda assistant has brought wholesale changes to the squad. Only four of the side he inherited in June 2006 have survived into the second season of full-time football in the West. Seven of last years’ squad, including former hero Alan Murphy, were not offered new contracts while five new faces have arrived since November.

This quintet will potentially give Galway Utd a stronger platform to begin their campaign with. Mark Leech worked well under Cousins’ tutelage at Drogheda and will hope to recapture that form. Marc McCulloch provides Utd with an experienced left-footed defender, something they sorely lacked last year. Youngsters James O’Shea and Gary Deegan will bolster Galway’s midfield options, while Alvin Rouse will be on hand to deputise for ‘keeper Gary Rogers should the need arise.

Galway drew more games (14) than any team in the Premier Division last season, and the test now will be whether they can turn some of these into victories. On top of this, their only success against one of the league’s title chasers was an away win over St.Pat’s, a statistic Cousins will be keen to rectify. Home form will be vitally important as the team cannot afford to repeat the efforts of last year, when it took until late August for Utd to win in front of their home supporters. Average gates of over 2,000 will need to be maintained this year and another such run may prove costly.

Towards the end of last season John Fitzgerald and John Lester formed a solid partnership in vital games at the back for Utd, and it will be interesting to see whether talismanic skipper Wes Charles will only see action from the sidelines in the coming year. Flying winger Derek O’Brien will again be key to Utd’s ambitions, while Cousins will hope to get more out of striker Stephen O’Flynn, who was dogged by injury last year.

Galway have been dealt a tricky start to their fixture list. Pat Fenlon’s Bohemians arrive on the opening day, followed by a trip to St.Colman’s Park to face Cobh. Of their opening seven fixtures, this is the only game where Utd won’t face one of last season’s top 6. A tough start, but should they pick up a couple of wins along the way, then this season could see the club’s impressive off-field performance finally matched by results on the pitch.