If it is true what they say in that “it’s the hope that kills you”, then Cork City are inflicting a long and painful death on Galway United as the First Division campaign enters its final weeks.

With United on a bye-week last weekend, the Leesiders had a chance to all but wrap-up the title with a home win against Longford Town, but instead, Colin Healy’s side had to twice come from behind to snatch a late draw.

That nudges them eight points ahead of Galway United going into this weekend’s round of fixtures, which sees City travel to third-placed Waterford on Friday night at the same time as United head to the Cork coast to take on Cobh Ramblers (7.45pm).

City were held to a scorlesss draw by 10-man Waterford in Turners Cross less than a month ago, so there is every chance they could slip-up on Friday, meaning a United win at St Colman’s Park will close the gap even further, and with City to visit Eamonn Deacy Park next week, maybe . . . just maybe. . . there is life in the title race just yet.

United manager John Caulfield is taking a far more pragmatic approach than that ‘ifs and buts’ scenario, insisting after the league defeat to Bray Wanderers a few weeks ago, and again after the FAI Cup loss to UCD, that his side were preparing for the play-offs at the end of the season.

“They [City] are in the driving seat, for us it is to get ready for the play-offs.

“There is still a massive opportunity for us to go up, we know how difficult that will be but at the same time, I still believe when we are at full-strength and we play like we have for most of the season, we are good enough for anyone, and that is what we need to work on for the next few weeks,” he said.

He hinted after the cup defeat that he would use the final six games of the season to get some game time into players who have not been regulars this season, including some from the club’s Academy who have bene training with the first-team.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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