Galway United v Athlone Town, Terryland Park, 7.45pm
- Updates when available -
Galway: League position: 6th
Form: WDWWL (Last game first);
Last result: 27/9 2-0 away win v Kildare
Top scorer: Alan Murphy 18
Athlone: League position: 10th
Form: WWDWD;
Last result: 26/9 2-0 home win v Cobh Ramblers
Top scorer: Michael McCann 4
Last season: 23/11 Galway United 3 Athlone Town 1
Sixth-placed United, who bowed out of the Carlsberg Cup at the semi-final stage at the weekend, will hope to move closer to a play-off place against lowly Town. Their target will be to real in fourth-placed Kildare County, who sit ten points above them on 42 points.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s fixture to league journalist Paul Buttner, boss Tony Mannion is in determined mood. ‘There was always a time when the teams at the top would have a dodgy period,’ he said. 'The four of them have been so consistent - you would expect that one or more of them would have a blip. There is a bit of rivalry between Athlone and ourselves and they are on a good run at the moment, so we have to be prepared for a tough encounter.’
Visitors Athlone, sitting in tenth place above Kilkenny and Monaghan United, are without midfielder and skipper Stephen Kelly for the trip to Terryland. Unbeaten in six games, Jimmy Greene has been pleased with the recent response from his squad.
‘We’re finally showing a bit of form’, he stated, ‘our immediate target is to get above Dundalk (ninth) with a win tonight, as we’ve a tough run of games ahead against Bray, Harps and Kildare.’ Galway have defender Kieran Foley eligible once again, with winger Tony Mannion back from a ban.
atogb Prediction: Galway 2-1 win