GALWAY United face their first real test of the season this Friday night when they make the trek to the south east to take on a Waterford FC side that beat them in the First Division play-off final just over three months ago (7.45pm).

It is an early meeting of the two sides tipped to be fighting it out for the title this season, but already offers United a chance to make a real statement of intent and bag a win which would see them move five points clear of their hosts after just three games.

While United have looked solid with two wins from their first two games, Waterford have mixed the good with the bad. Wassim Aouachria scored a hat-trick on the opening night of the season in an impressive 3-0 win away to a Wexford side tipped by many as dark horses this season, a result which seemed to make a mockery of suggestions that the loss of Junior Quitirna and last season’s First Division Player of the Year, Phoenix Patterson, would be a blow to their title challenge this year.

All those fears came flooding back last Friday, however, as Danny Searle’s side stumbled to a 1-1 draw at home to a Longford side in a state of transition, and one which had sacked its captain after the opening night’s defeat to Midlands rivals, Athlone Town.

That Waterford wobble might not be the good news many United fans might take it to be: an early-season warning of faults and failings the week before their title rivals roll into town will mean a side that wasn’t going to be in need of any extra motivation anyway will now be even more clued-in to the task at hand on Friday night.

United had good and bad experience at the RSC last season: Manu Dimas scored the only goal of the game to hand the visitors the three points when the sides met there in April; before Waterford gained revenge when coming from behind to win 2-1 in August.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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