Conor McCormack could join an exclusive club tonight by becoming just the fifth man to captain the club to a major domestic honour if Galway United get the point they require in Tralee to capture the First Division title.

The Tribesmen are 15 points ahead of Waterford FC, who have five games remaining to United’s six, so even if the unthinkable happens, and Kerry win at home tonight for the first time this season, United will still be crowned champions if Waterford fail to beat Longford Town at Bishopsgate.

Even if that fails to materialise, it will just be a matter of time, with the next opportunity presenting itself on Monday night in a refixed game at home to Finn Harps, after the original fixture was postponed last weekend due to both sides’ involvement last weekend in the FAI Cup quarter-finals.

United’s cup encounter with Dundalk last Friday night was one of the club’s greatest nights at Eamonn Deacy Park as the home side ran riot against their more illustrious opponents, but while the players were going to enjoy the win, their captain insisted that thoughts would be turning very quickly to tonight’s trip to Kerry.

“We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves, we have a massive game on Friday and another one on Monday, so we have to get ourselves prepared and ready for that.

“We will enjoy this [win], but we will turn it off, get our heads back on the job, do what we have been doing all season. They are a really good bunch of lads, they work really hard, they love playing football and you can see that.

“Every one of them has a smile on their face, everyone loves working hard for each other, it is a great place to be at the minute, and hopefully onwards and upwards,” he said.

Just four men have captained United to silverware: Denis Bonner with the 1986 League Cup; Johnny Glynn with the 1991 FAI Cup, Noel Mernagh with the 1993 First Division title; and Derek Rogers with the 1997 League Cup.

McCormack is certain to join the list in the coming weeks: given the fact that four of United’s remaining six league games are at home, and three of those six games are against the bottom three sides in the division, it is only a matter of where and when, and not if, United capture a second First Division title; and it would be apt if it was tonight, as all other four trophy successes came away from home.

Pictured: Galway United captain Conor McCormack in action against Dundalk last weekend.  Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.