Galway United -v- Sporting Fingal

• Alan Dooley
• Thu, Apr 08 2010


For the third Friday in succession Galway United are preparing for a home league fixture, with Sporting Fingal on the agenda this week (kick-off:7.45pm), and having gained a creditable point on Monday night Sean Connor's side will have high hopes of registering their second home victory of the season.

Fingal, however, have shown thus far that they will be far from pushovers at this level and are installed as favourites for this tie. With a nice balance of steel, creativity, and pace, Liam Buckley's side have the look of a top four team about them and despite the absence of midfielders Shaun Williams and Shane McFaul (both suspended), and defender John Frost (hamstring), their manager is confident the strength in depth of his squad will prove sufficient to go for the win.

"We drew both of the Dublin derby games against St. Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers last weekend, matches we had enough chances to have won, and I’ll be looking for us to be better in the final third at Terryland," Buckley stated.

“No team will get an easy game at Galway United this season, as was shown recently when Shamrock Rovers narrowly won there, and we’ll have our work cut out to clinch the three points.”

Galway have a number of injury worries to contend with, primarily concerning their midfield as Gary Curran and wingers Derek O'Brien and Bobby Ryan are all rated as doubtful, as are defenders Thomas Heary, who missed the draw with UCD, and Jamie McKenzie. Stephen O'Donnell made an earlier than expected return from a knee injury when forced to replace Curran on Monday, but came through the clash and his presence will be key to United's hopes on Friday night.

Sean Connor has already intimated that he is impatient for success and demands the highest standards of those around him, but he may well have a substantially harder task in guiding Galway United to Premier Division safety than he initially anticipated. Still, he remains positive and is looking at this fixture as just another home tie that his side will go out with the intention of winning.

"I am expecting a tough test, but if we have any aspirations about ourselves and our future then we need to look to pick up three points every time we are at home.

"So I will be sending the lads out with a positive attitude and a belief in their own abilities. We will have a real go and I know all our fans will get behind the lads as we go in search of our second win of the new season."

Venue: Terryland Park, Galway
Paddypower.com Odds: Galway United 12/5, Draw 9/4, Sporting Fingal 11/10

Galway United
Suspended: none
Injured: Alan Murphy.
Doubtful: Gary Curran, Derek O'Brien, Jason Molloy, Jamie McKenzie, Bobby Ryan and Thomas Heary.

Sporting Fingal
Suspended: Shane McFaul, Shaun Williams.
Injured: John Frost (hamstring).
Doubtful: none

Extratime Prediction: 3-1 to Sporting Fingal.