Galway United travel to face Drogheda United in a Premier Division fixture at Weavers Park on Friday, October 30, with kick-off at 7:45pm. The match comes after a 3-2 defeat away to Waterford last weekend, a result that leaves the Tribesmen 7th in the table with 41 points from 34 games, having recorded ten wins, eleven draws and thirteen losses. Their recent form of one win, one draw and three defeats includes that loss to Waterford on Monday 19 October, a 2-0 win over Shamrock Rovers on Friday 16 October, a 2-0 loss to Derry City, a 1-1 draw with Shelbourne and a 1-0 loss to Derry City. They have scored 46 goals this season while conceding 51.
John Caulfield's side have had an inconsistent run, beating league leaders Shamrock Rovers 2-0 before that loss at the RSC. Their recent form reads one win, one draw and three defeats. They face a Drogheda team who themselves are coming off a 2-0 home win over Derry City. Galway's next match after this trip is a home fixture against third-placed St Patrick's Athl. on Friday 23 October.
The head-to-head record this season favours Galway. They won 2-1 at Weavers Park in the FAI Cup in September and 3-2 there in the league back in April. The sides played out a goalless draw at Eamonn Deacy Park in August. Drogheda won the season's first meeting 1-0 in February.
Galway's goals in the Waterford defeat came from Lee Devitt and Stephen Walsh, who scored his fourth of the campaign. Top scorer M. Dyer, with 10 goals this season, will be a key figure. In the 3-2 loss, Lee Devitt Molloy scored in the 52nd minute and Stephen Walsh netted in the 60th. In the recent 2-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers, Jimmy Keohane opened the scoring in the 2nd minute and Aaron Bolger added a second in the 42nd.
Drogheda's last starting lineup featured a 3-4-2-1 shape with Fynn Talley in goal. Galway last fielded a 4-2-3-1 against Waterford, with Hugo Alberto Pires da Cunha between the posts and a midfield pairing of Aaron Bolger and Jimmy Keohane, who scored the opener against Shamrock Rovers. The visitors are 24 points off the top but will aim to close the gap with a positive result on the road. The final training session before departure is scheduled for Thursday morning.
Waterford manager Graham Coughlan reflected on his side's dramatic 3-2 win over Galway United on October 19. He said, "We showed great character to get the three points." The result leaves Galway 7th in the Premier Division with 41 points from 34 games. Their recent form is now one win, one draw and three defeats.
