League Preview: UCD -v- Galway United

• Paul Corcoran
• Thu, Jul 19 2018




UCD

Galway United travel to the UCD Bowl this week a team the Students have failed to defeat so far this season and they get their final shot on Friday night (kick-off 7:45pm).

The Students are still sitting pretty at the top of the First Division table heading into the final seven games of the season.

Five points separate UCD from Drogheda United and Finn Harps in second place, both on 37 points.

Collie O’Neill’s men have been in great form all season having only lost four of their games.

They briefly stumbled in a 5-1 loss to Longford Town at the UCD Bowl but, after gaining a point at home to Shelbourne, they got back on track away to Wexford with a 3-0 win.

Yousef Mahdy, Daire O’Connor, Neil Farrugia and Gary O’Neill all scored over the last two games, their first without current First Division top scorer Georgie Kelly, who departed for Dundalk earlier this month.

The sides last met in Dublin in March when they played out a 1-1 draw. Danny Furlong gave the visitors the lead and it only took UCD ten minutes to equalise through Josh Collins.

With Drogheda United expecting an easy win at home to Athlone Town, UCD will want a win on Friday night to keep the five-point gap between them and the Boynesiders.

GALWAY UNITED

Galway United come into this game on the back of two league wins under new manager Alan Murphy after overcoming Cobh Ramblers in St Colman’s Park last week.

The Tribesmen have put themselves firmly back in the playoff picture with just three points between themselves in fifth and Shelbourne above them.

United are unbeaten against UCD so far this season and they put in possibly their best performance in the 2-0 win over The Students in Eamonn Deacy Park earlier this season.

“I’m looking for the same endeavour and effort,” Murphy told the club’s website.

“The application of the game plan has to be the same. We’ve had two good results, but now we’re meeting a different side.

“It’s a different game and UCD will present us with a different set of scenarios and problems.

“We’re looking forward to the game, it will tell us a lot about how far we’ve come in terms of confidence and progression over the last few weeks.

“Every game is different. We won’t be resting on our laurels. We’ve already had two difficult games against UCD this year and we’ll be treating this game as a one-off.

“Let’s see what we can bring to the table and what performance levels we can reach. Hopefully it will lead to another positive result.”

The Tribesmen are again without Maurice Nugent, Mikey Whelan and Conor Layng who are all sidelined with injuries.

 

Referee: Robert Hennessy

 

MATCH STATS

UCD have scored the most goals of any side so far in the First Division with 44.

Galway United have not been beaten by UCD this season. The sides drew 1-1 in Dublin before The Tribesmen defeated The Students 2-0 in Eamonn Deacy Park.

The Students have won seven of their last ten games.

 

BETTING

UCD 11/8; Draw 52/19; Galway United 2/1.

PREDICTION

UCD 1-1 Galway United

 

UCD

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Galway United

Injured: Maurice Nugent, Mikey Whelan, Conor Layng.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.