Galway United manager John Caulfield is taking a ‘softly-softly’ approach to United’s final three games of the regular season as he lets one eye glance towards the end-of-season play-offs and an escape route after five seasons of hell in the First Division.

Last week’s draw with Treaty United has not mathematically ended United’s hopes of catching Cork City for the title, but with the Leesiders six points ahead with three games remaining – and a far superior goal difference – it is only a matter f time before they are officially crowned champions.

In truth, United’s title hopes ended with back-to-back defeats to Waterford and Bray Wanderers in August – and to be fair to him, the United manager admitted as much at the time – so he has been using the game since to prepare for the play-offs, preparation that will continue this evening with the visit of Athlone Town to Eamonn Deacy Park (7.45pm).

Town are the only side United have beaten in every meeting this season, with a 3-0 win on the Dyke Road back in May sandwiched between 2-1 and 3-1 wins in Lissywoolen in March and July respectively.

As has been his habit before every game this season, Caulfield insists that his side are in for a tough game this evening. Athlone are second from bottom of the table, with just five wins all season, and a whopping 40 points behind United, so while they might provide stiff opposition, there really is no excuse for not winning comfortably tonight, even if United use the game as a stepping stone for the play-offs.

“We have a number of weeks to get more a few fellas more game time and get ready for the play-offs,” he said after last Friday’s draw in Limerick.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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