GALWAY United play their final home game of the season this Friday when they host Drogheda United (7.45pm), and while it will be a night of farewells – both to Eamonn Deacy Park for another season, and to some players as well – it could also turn into one of celebration of the Tribesmen retaining their top-flight status.

A United win, coupled with a defeat for Waterford on their trip to Richmond Park on the same night, will all but guarantee that United avoid the relegation play-off with two games remaining, both of which are away from home, the first of which is on Wednesday next when they take on Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium (8pm).

The jeopardy from that game could be removed if results fall United’s way this weekend – including Rovers wrapping up the league title on Sunday if they take at least a point from their trip to the Ryan McBride Brandywell.

“I don’t care about other results, we are in control of our own destiny. That is the most important thing, we don’t need to be relying on anyone [else], if we look after our own business, we will be okay, and that is the most important thing.

“We spoke about that, to forget about the table, forget about other results, do what we have to do because we are in control of that, just get the points on the board.

“Drogheda are going for Europe, they have to win, we want to win, so there will be everything to play for,” United manager John Caulfield said.

Speaking in advance of last Friday’s win over Bohs, the United boss had revealed to Tribune Sport that the squad were given a couple of days off due to their league game with Rovers being postponed one weekend, followed by then international break the next. He was asked after the final whistle on Friday if that time off helped the squad to reset for the run-in to the end of the season.

“It helped me anyway, I can tell you that, I enjoyed a few days off myself just to clear my own head,” he laughed in the media huddle in front of the home bench after Friday’s win.

“I think more importantly, you have to remember that we did win our last game,” he said in reference to the 2-1 victory over Cork City back on September 26, “so we were on the back of a win, and giving the lads a few days off to allow them refresh, there were a few lads with knocks, so when we came back, I did feel all last week that the buzz was there.

“There were a lot of people criticising the team, putting us under pressure, it was nearly like we were guaranteed to be in that play-off position. I felt and the lads felt there was a lot of football to be played, we have a big say in staying out of that and I felt during the week in training we were sharp, I felt we would put it up to Bohs, and thankfully we did,” he said.

He, of all people, won’t need telling that the job is not done yet, and he’ll impress on the players the need to remove any angst from taking to the road for the final two games of the season by getting a win against Drogheda.

The Tribesmen have shaded matters in games between the two sides since returning to the top-flight last season: in the seven games since that return, United have lost once, which was their most recent meeting, a 1-0 defeat in Drogheda back in July.

The Tribesmen were 2-1 winners when the sides met at Eamonn Deacy Park in April, one of three wins in those past seven games, but Drogheda are in decent form, with just one defeat in their last five league games as the desperately cling to an outside hope of qualifying for Europe.

Once Friday’s game is out of the way, thoughts will turn to the trip to Tallaght Stadium next Wednesday to take on a Shamrock Rovers side that could be playing their first game since being crowned champions if they get a result in Derry this Sunday. It could be a game in which two sides end up celebrating.

Pictured: Stephen Walsh heads goalwards on what was his 369th appearance for Galway United, a new club record. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.