Galway United -v- Dundalk

• Eoin Manning
• Fri, May 06 2011


Galway United welcome Dundalk to Terryland Park on Friday night knowing that they need to start winning quickly or face a season of staring the relegation play-offs or worse in the face (kick-off 7:45).

Disappointed not to come away with a point against Champions Shamrock Rovers last weekend The Tribesmen will be doing everything in their power to get one over on former boss Ian Foster.

Though the Lilywhites will themselves be going in to the game buoyed by Monday’s one all draw against Michael O’Neill’s men thanks to Jason Byrne’s 178th goal of his decorated League of Ireland career.

And Foster is going in to the game targeting nothing less than a win in spite of the fatigue that will his side will naturally be suffering given their recent glut of games: “We’ll be well prepared; we’ll know everything about Galway United and we’ll go there and try to play on the front foot and try to get a result.”

Adding: “We want to go to Galway United and try to get a victory. It’s not going to be easy but we’ll give it our best shot. The lads are full of confidence and they’re playing well. Without harping on about it, like every other football club in this country at the moment, we do need a break, but we’re not going to get one in the next couple of weeks.”

While Foster’s counterpart at his old club Sean Connor isn’t fooling himself into believing that his team are in anything other than a scrap for survival and face another tough challenge this weekend:

“"Dundalk are a very good side going forward, but, they concede a lot of goals like ourselves. It should be a really open game. We have got to tighten up at the back and stop the run of form that we're currently on."

Both sets of players will fancy their chances of taking the maximum share of the spoils though, of course, only one team can and a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Galway United
Injured: Gary Curran - Broken metatarsal (4 weeks) Joseph Yoffe - Ankle (1 month)
Doubtful: Bobby Ryan
Suspended: Shaun Kelly

Dundalk
Injured: Greg Bolger (thigh) Stephen Maher (groin) Eoghan Osborne (fractured tibia)
Doubtful: Dean Bennett (hamstring) Shane Guthrie (blurred vision & concussion)
Suspended: None

Referee: Padraig Sutton

Paddy Power Odds: Galway 10/3, Draw 12/05, Dundalk 4/5.

Extratime prediction: 1-1