There is a certain giddiness about Galway United these days: the women’s side have won the All-Island Cup, and are defying predictions of a struggle in the league this season as they sit in third, just three points off big-spending Shamrock Rovers in third.

As for the men, they look like ending the longest wait for silverware of any side in the League of Ireland, a yawning gap of 26 years to the League Cup success on New Year’s Day in 1997, and John Caulfield’s side can take another step to that goal when they host Cobh Ramblers this Friday in Eamonn Deacy park (7.45pm).

The side from the final port of call of the Titanic have been tricky opponents this year, with United needing to dig deep for 2-0 and 1-0 wins, and having to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw down in St Colman’s Park back in early July, just one of five of the 27 league games United have played that they have dropped points this season.

“We know Shane Keegan coming back to Galway, he loves changing things around, they will come to probably try and stall us and hit us on the counter-attack, we have to be ready for that game, that is our biggest game at the moment,” Caulfield says of the man who managed United in 2017 and 2018, the first season of which saw United relegated after three seasons in the top flight.

United are cruising to the First Division title – they are 16 points clear of Waterford, who have a game in hand, which they will play on Monday when they head to Limerick to take on Treaty United – but that has resulted in some fans cherry-picking what games to go to.

Pictured: Galway United’s David Hurley moved on to 18 goals for the season with his brace against UCD on Monday night.