Galway United thread

Gremlinertia

As proposed by posters, here is a new thread for Galway Utd. Anything from match previews to stats to reviews all welcome, enjoy!

fergiesfolly

Hard fought win tonight.

Maximum points. Healthy sized crowd. Good times.

Wompa1

Scrappy match and a sense it wasn't going to fall in our favour with the early penalty miss and Manning skying 2 great opportunities but champions pull it out of the fire. The team has been playing with much more intensity this season and using Manning and McCarthy very well. Gone are the days of hoofball it seems.

ben.schlomo

A poor performance from an attacking point of view. Keita and Walshy were poor up top. How Manley wasn't in before Francely is just bizarre. Manley must have shat in one of Jollies breakfasts.

fergiesfolly

Thought Keita did well early on but they were knockin balls up to him to head on and Walsh wasn't reading it. Pity because Keita is very good at holding off players while receiving ball to feet and feeding others. Also much better touch and shot than Lomboto who replaced him.

Also, does Ollie now have as many yellows as the whole playing squad put together? It's like he's going for a record 😂

bobbyss

It's great to see them top of the league. Even if it's not the top league it's still great.

Think Sean Connor. How many defeats did he have in one season?

Anyone know what the attendances are like and in is there anywhere we can find that out online?

CrowdedHouse

2,304 v Treaty Utd

1,870 v Kerry

1,550 v Longford

ratracer

It’s been a great start, hopefully we don’t have a last third slump like last year! Really need to just win the league, the playoffs are way too much of a lottery!

Redkite200

Great to see the team going well. I haven't been to Terryland in years as I've been away from the city.

How much is admission to home games for adults now guys?

CrowdedHouse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411380#Comment_120411380

€15

ratracer

Nice handy trip to Athlone on Friday night, ( in terms of travel that is!)

Hope the lads can keep up the 💯 % run! 🤞🤞

Paddico

Great to see this thread here.

Great start for United too, long may it continue. Promotion is badly needed.

bobbyss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120415784#Comment_120415784

It's badly needed. The biggest city in the west without a Premier League team is not good. But we have never been a top footballing city in national terms. Why is that? Is it all down to money I wonder? Does United have a proper profile in the city? Is it lack of publicity?

But it's great to see them do well. And always great to see our president there too. Not just a fair weather supporter.

SqueakyKneecap

United are starting to get a lot more younger fans in than I've seen in probably 15 years. I think if they manage to not fall asleep at the wheel again in the summer months this season there'll be a lot more casuals taking notice. The Christmas Shop in Eyre Square was a mighty idea and there's no coincidence as to why there's a lot more GUFC gear being worn around town.

Borden, Brendan Clarke and Slevin are having super campaigns so far too. Wouldn't rule out Waterford catching up with us under the new manager as there's a long ways to go yet but very encouraging start.

fergiesfolly

I won't lie, theres been evenings up there, that had more a vibe of a youth disco than a football match.

But I'll take my old man hat off for a minute and admit it's people through the gate and if a fraction of them develop an interest in the club it'll be a good thing.

SqueakyKneecap

Old stand is ideal if you want to have a bit of distance from the youngsters in the Section F. But bar a couple of rascals most of them are only there to sing a few songs and it keeps them away from mischief from 7.30 to 9.30 on a Friday. I was up to much worse at their age in fairness.

fergiesfolly

Absolutely. Sure once the match starts, they're cheering as loud as anybody.

ratracer

Great result for the lads again last night, but the way we conceded the goal was a bit rubbish! Two penalties missed in two games is poor too!

But it never really looked like a win was in doubt, even after conceding. Waterford got the new manager bounce anyway with their 7-1 win over harps, thankfully there is a nice cushion to them, come the end of the season I think it will be them that will be our main challengers!

And just a little gripe……. Those two hometown clowns commentating on the game were absolutely pathetic, didn’t even try to be impartial at any stage of the game, surely LOI TV can do better??

ben.schlomo

I'm told Athlones coverage was excellent, great cameras, replays etc. Haven't heard anything about commentators.

fergiesfolly

The actual presentation was very good as regards replays, substitutions etc. The commentators were clearly home town biased. One of them had a son playing for Athlone for god's sake.

ben.schlomo

Comfortable win again last night. More of the same in EDP next Friday and it'll be a clean sweep of the first series of games.

SqueakyKneecap

In fairness to them they play a lot better football this year. You'd have to imagine Horgan, despite being a bit demented on the sideline, seems to have them very well drilled. Also a massive improvement on the overreliance on Walshy last year.

TerryLand

its great to see that there is a bar in Terryland now. A proper with decent Guinness and you can watch the game on a big screen in there too.

I wouldn't do anything like that

maniac2003

Well played last night. Anywhere to see the goals?

Wompa1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120481160#Comment_120481160

Pretty jokey but here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@galwayunitedofficial/video/7222236223413275930

Paddico

Great going for GU.

So whats changed this season, any particular players really stepping up to the plate this season above others?

ratracer

Major upgrade on the keeper!!

But also Ollie coming in as assistant manager is much more attacking than JC would have been last season.

ben.schlomo

Ronan Manning has credited the change in style/performance to Ollie and Chris Collopy.

Borden, Clarke and Slevin have been big upgrades on what went before and have helped improve others too eg Ed, Hurley and McCormack.

SqueakyKneecap

Better signings, better attacking football and less reliance on Walsh (who has still been very good despite not scoring as much) has made a massive difference. I've had my doubts about Caulfield for a while but I think Ollie coming in has made a big impact too (despite being mouthy as ever on the sideline).

I've no doubt we'll drop points at some stage but they've been excellent so far. Here's hoping we avoid the Summer slump again.

ratracer

Waterford seem to have got their house in order, need to keep up the pressure at the weekend now, hopefully keep winning.

It’s local clubs night at EDP, so should be a huge crowd up the Dyke!

ben.schlomo

The Waterford game Friday week is huge. Realistically neither club should be dropping points in any other games.

fergiesfolly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518376#Comment_120518376

Realistically, of course they're going to drop points to other teams. It's a 36 game league.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518802#Comment_120518802

Both teams are head and shoulders above the rest quality wise. I've seen nothing in the opening round of games from any team, outside of Waterford, to suggest we can't beat every other side on any given night. Dropped points against Waterford are a possibility but no other side has troubled us, remotely.

Dropped points are a possibility of course but there's no reason, currently, that we can't keep this run going.

fergiesfolly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120518882#Comment_120518882

Injuries. Suspensions. Poor form. Bas luck. Any amount of reasons to drop points over an entire season.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120519396#Comment_120519396

They are but mere excuses. Given our resources and start to the season none of those should cause us major problems. Throwing away points against the likes of Cobh, Longford, Treaty is unacceptable this season. That's what did for us last season and can't be allowed again. The momentum from the first series has to be maintained and built on.

fergiesfolly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120519543#Comment_120519543

I hope you're right, but experience has taught me to be more cautious.

ratracer

I’m hoping for an ‘Invincibles’ season 🤞🤞

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120520236#Comment_120520236

I'm coming at it from more of an "unacceptable if we don't go up" kind of viewpoint. Not that I necessarily think we won't drop points, cos we will. But it shouldn't be against the dross of the division like seasons gone by.

Arghus

Tonight's game a total sell out. First time I can ever remember that happening.

fergiesfolly

Every 10 year old in the county seemed to be in Terryland tonight. Lot of clubs/ schools had an evening out for their teams. Different kind of atmosphere but they enjoyed themselves. Record set for punnets of chips sold at a United game for sure 😄

ratracer

Not the greatest game of the season, but all that matters is the 3pts!! 11/11 is some going so far! 👏👏

Two big games next week, nice trip to Longford on Monday night, then a real 6 pointer next Friday night at EDP. Winning both of these games would give us a nice cushion!! Come on United. 💪💪

fergiesfolly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120519543#Comment_120519543

Anyway, you were saying...

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120544758#Comment_120544758

Yup I said any dropped points should be viewed as unacceptable against the dross. And thats exactly what last night was. A woeful performance, following on from being poor against Cobh and a poor first half in Kerry.

JC reverted to panicking goofball for the entire second half which is a joke. Persisting with Francely is also hurting us, like playing with ten men. Huge missed opportunity given Waterford's awful result yesterday. Friday has the makings of a JC bottle job now.

SqueakyKneecap

Hate singling out players but what on Earth does Lomboto need to do to get dropped so we can start Clarke?

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120546861#Comment_120546861

There's no conceivable answer for that. If he had 1 leg JC would start him out of position on the left. JC does this with one or two players every season. There's no way he can start Friday, I'd be shocked if Mike Rowe isn't on the left. A go to for JC in big games.

Wompa1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120545448#Comment_120545448

Had a chat with my friend from Longford on Sunday and had said to him I reckon Longford would win that match. The players seemed tired against Cobh and it was a tough match for them. Cobh gave them a very tough contest. During the Cobh match the commentators said McCormack had been sick during the week. Wonder if something has been going around the squad. If it trickling through, it could be a bad sign for the Waterford match too.

ben.schlomo

Huge win tonight. Super atmosphere and a great performance from the lads. Ed, McCormack, Slevin, Brouder and Walshy were especially good. Lots of other commendable performances too. Gotta keep the performances going now and keep the lead.

fergiesfolly

Excellent 3 points. Defence were outstanding the last 20 minutes under sustained pressure. Would love us to get a prolific forward to round out the team. Could have had a couple more first half goals with a more clinical finisher.

10 points clear having beaten our nearest rivals twice. Can't ask for more.

ratracer

It was a nervy last 10mins, but fair play to them seeing it out! A nice cushion to have after playing them twice, roll on next Friday again, when Wexford come to town!

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120560948#Comment_120560948

While you'd like to see a prolific scorer the difference up top if you lost Walshys work ethic could be a big loss. It'll be in the works for next season if we went up anyway as we'd definitely need more firepower.

Wompa1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120561039#Comment_120561039

Could definitely use someone to run ahead of Walsh. He's incredible at flicking on the ball but no one runs onto them. It is great to have so much depth in the squad that Horgan could be taken off when on a yellow and have O'Keefe come on. It is a bit of a shame that the like of Nugent, Rowe and Manley don't play more.