Cobh Ramblers  0

Galway United 2

Keith Kelly at St Colman’s Park

WE’VE been here before, but – and whisper this part ever so quietly – this time it feels very different. Galway United made it five wins from five on Friday with as emphatic a 2-0 win as you are ever likely to see to open up a five-point gap at the top of the table.

This St Patrick’s day parade of a win for the visitors equalled the club’s best ever start to the season, matching the five wins from five United enjoyed at the start of the 1985/86 campaign. Yes, that was in the Premier Division – when they recorded a club-best runners-up finish in the top-flight – but if they keep going like they have started, they’ll be making a return to that top flight for next season.

There is a danger of making a rod for one’s own back with such rash comments so early in the season. We’re only past the half-way stage in the first of four rounds of games, with 31 fixtures still ahead, but when you’ve been following the fortunes of the club – good and bad, on the terraces and in the press seats – for more than 40 years, you can spot when something feels different to the norm, and that is certainly the case this season.

Having a quick chat after the final whistle last Friday with Cobh manager, Shane Keegan, it is not breaking confidence to reveal that, when Cobh were analysing United ahead of the game, he said they struggled to find an area of weakness that could be exploited.

“It is not just that they [United] are not conceding, they just aren’t giving up chances, teams just couldn’t find a way past them. We tried tonight, but we couldn’t get a look at [Brendan] Clarke’s goal,” admitted Keegan.

United started last season almost as well, taking 13 points from their first five games before coming a cropper against Longford Town. That impressive start was a false dawn, with a late capitulation seeing United go from title challengers to finishing third, and losing in the promotion play-off final to Waterford.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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