League Preview: Galway United -v- Cobh Ramblers

• Dave Donnelly
• Fri, Apr 27 2018




GALWAY UNITED

Galway will look to bounce back from last week's disappointing 2-0 defeat to Shelbourne when they host Cobh Ramblers on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Tribesmen slipped to their first league defeat of the year at Tolka Park, where goals from Alan Byrne and Davy O'Sullivan saw the Reds briefly go top.

Shane Keegan's side sit in fifth position, four points ahead of tonight's opponents, following an inconsistent start to their first season back in the second tier.

"The Shels game, a night like that can be a watershed moment in your season,” Keegan told the club's media team.

"If losing that game in the manner that we did forces everybody, including players and staff, to look at themselves and everybody ups their efforts, it can turn out be a positive for us and we have to make sure it never happens again.

"It was an awful performance. In my second game in charge away to Cork City last season, that was probably the only game I've felt like I needed to apologise to the supporters after the game for our performance, I felt like that after the Shels game also.

"We had a good support in Tolka Park, they were loud. It was up there as our worse performance since I've taken over and it absolutely has got to inspire a reaction against Cobh.

"I can't possibly see us allowing that performance to happen again, we need to give the kind of performance that says "stay with us" to the supporters."

Strikers Eoin McCormack and Danny Furlong are both rated 50/50 to play as they face fitness tests, while Aaron Conway could make his return from injury.

 

COBH RAMBLERS

Cobh Ramblers manager Stephen Henderson will look for a huge improvement from his side after last week's 5-1 reverse at home to Drogheda United.

A horror period of eight minutes before the break saw the Rams concede four goals from which they never recovered despite Cian Leonard's late consolation.

"We have to start again,” was Henderson's blunt assessment ahead of the trip to the west coast.

“It was probably the most surreal 8 minutes I have ever felt in my entire career in football. What is even more baffling is the fact we did not play that badly.

“Poor individual errors have cost us a lot of points and goals this season but as a team we are doing quite well.

"Galway is a great game for any of our lads who feel they have a point to prove to do just that.

“Our squad is quite small so at times it can be difficult to give players who are probably having a difficult time a rest to regroup and start fresh.

“The integrity of this squad and these lads is never in question, they work so hard for the club and I admire them for that.

“But now we need to get back to basics, eradicate individual errors and start winning football matches again.

“If losing 5-1 at home does not provoke the mother of all responses against Galway then I fear we will be in for a long season."

Craig Donnellan remains a long-term injury absentee for the Rams, while John Dineen is a doubt after sitting out the game with Drogheda and Charlie Fleming faces a fitness test.

 

Referee: Tom Dempsey

 

MATCH STATS

The first meeting between the sides in March was postponed due to the bad weather and has been rescheduled for Monday, June 4^th at St Colman's Park.

The teams last met in 2014 when the then-Galway FC won promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs.

Galway won all four ties that season, with a combined score of 15-3.

 

BETTING

Galway United 8/13; Draw 13/5; Cobh Ramblers 7/2.

PREDICTION

Galway United 1 – 1 Cobh Ramblers

 

Galway United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Aaron Conway (groin), Danny Furlong (groin), Eoin McCormack (calf).

Suspended: None.

 

Cobh Ramblers

Injured: Craig Donnellan (knee).

Doubtful: John Dineen, Charlie Fleming.

Suspended: None.