Having been out of action for two weeks due to the FAI Cup quarter-finals weekend, the games are now coming thick and fast for Galway United with a home tie against Shelbourne this Friday, followed by the trip to the Louth/Meath border on Monday for a game with Drogheda United (both games 7.45pm).

John Caulfield’s side will get nothing easy in either game, with both opponents in desperate need of points: Shels are looking to maintain their stranglehold at the top of the table in their quest for a first league title in 18 years; while Drogheda need points to keep their Premier Division survival hopes alive.

Now that the dumpster fire at Dundalk has been doused, for the time being at least, the two Louth clubs can continue to battle it out to avoid automatic relegation, and with the Boynesiders on a decent run of form, United will need to be switched on from first whistle to last next Monday.

Their last trip to the Lone Moor Road saw them steal all three points, injury time goals from Maurice Nugent and Stephen Walsh turning things around from a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 win. They have taken seven points from the three meetings between the sides so far this season, but Drogheda have found a bit of form of late, and will be no pushovers.

They thrashed Sligo Rovers 7-0 in the league a few weeks ago, just a week after putting nine without reply past Wilton United in the FAI Cup; and they are into the last four of the cup after beating Athlone Town 4-1 at the weekend.

United can park that until the weekend, as for now, all the focus will be on the visit of the league leaders to the Dyke Road on Friday in a game United really could do with a win in if they are to maintain slender hopes of qualifying for Europe.

They go into the game on the back of a dispiriting home defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Monday night in a game in which, when they got the ball down and passed it around, they caused their visitors problems.

That was put to Ollie Horgan after the game by Tribune Sport, with the United assistant manager explaining they went with the approach they felt was best suited to a game against the defending league champions.

Pictured: Conor McCormack wheels away in celebration after equalising from the penalty spot for Galway United on Monday night with what was his second goal in 120 appearances for the club. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.