I think at the start of the season most people knew we had a very small squad and that at some point in the season this would come into play. Still, Sean Connor had a good group of players together and if they gelled, mid-table could be a possibility. As ever, our home form has been pretty poor and again, we have more points away from home. We started off okay - but it wasn’t the injuries that took the toll. It was the suspensions which began to impact the team. We seemed to get away with this in the first third but then player’s heads were turned with any amount of speculation. After playing so well it was hard to see Bisto go after all the quality goals he score for us. We did well to maintain Sheppard and O’Donnell in GUFC shirts and what a smart signing it was to bring back Philip Reilly to the squad. Heary and Bobby were no great loss as both had been playing hot and cold. But the squad numbers were down and we had lost some experience. The first of the youngsters came into the fray and United did wobble a bit but seemed to be ahead of the play off places for the most part. The result at Bohs and UCD bumped us up to 6th for a while. BUT then the small squad kicked in with injuries to Foley, Connelly and McKenzie occurring and others losing out to suspensions - we went on a dismal run and the losses to Bray and UCD away were crucial! Considering the young players that came in they have done themselves proud in a difficult situation. The win at home to Bohs was massive and hopefully it will give some confidence. The crowds this season have been poor and adds to the already dangerous situation GUFC is in off the field. Staying up with no playoff versus a 1st division team and holding onto a few players is a great end to the year. Undoubtedly a few will go that have had any amount of speculation about them. But we have blooded a group of good local lads to build around. Hopefully the Maroon Army Scheme will manage to keep the club away from the red and be enough to keep Sean Connor around for next season also. All in all a very typical GUFC season of many highs and lows - the Bohs games
have all been terrific and now hopefully to end on high on November the 2nd verses Bray in Terryland. Corbyeire Very bright start. Looked like we would be safe in mid-table until the last series of games. Financial problems and a low playing budget haven’t helped us. If we had managed to hold on to Anto Flood and Bobby Ryan we would be safe from relegation. Sean Connor has done very well with the resources he’s had and he’s managed to find some very good young, local players. Most negative thing about the whole season has been the falling crowds at Terryland. Hopefully we can see off Bray and plan for another season in the Premier Division. Journeyman Coming into the start of this season, things looked uncertain for United; however, an exciting/nerving season was before us with Sean Connor taking over a ‘palimpsestic’ Galway United squad. Connor has done well considering he had little funds available and a ‘clean slate’ United squad to take charge of, as in retrospect it was a brave and challenging task. Performances this season have varied hugely, but with a largely, inexperienced team, in terms of playing together previously, injury stricken spells and deteriorating support, we have done quite well. We have built the foundations of a youthful, promising club and a win tonight will ignite a new era for Galway United, to firmly establish themselves as a Premier Division club and build for the better and for the future. Aaron O’Connell It’s been a strange old season, we looked like a squad that could have finished mid table comfortably yet we find ourselves in the play offs – still, if we stay in the premier it’ll have been a good season all things considered. Some of the positives to look at are the emergence of some new local talent such as Stephen Walsh, hopefully we can hang on to them for next season. Mairtin O’Mochain Thank you to all the contributors.