IN a season in which no-one apparently wants to win the league title, Galway United can still do the unthinkable, but they’ll need to take all three points from their trip to Richmond Park this Friday (7.45pm) to stay in that particular conversation.

Results over the past week means that while United are fifth in the table, they are still just four points off top spot with just three games remaining, with their toughest test coming this Friday against a St Patrick’s Athletic side that is on a brilliant run of six wins on the spin – eight if you include their Leinster Senior Cup semi-final and final victories with 23 goals scored and just seven conceded.

The last time the Saints failed to win a game was back in August, when they drew 1-1 with Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park, but you get the feeling that United need to improve on that result if the season is not to peter out into disappointment.

We’re not even talking about the league title in that regard – and seriously who would have believed you if you said at the start of the season that with just three games remaining, the newly-crowned First Division champions would be in with a real shout of making it back-to-back league titles, and claiming the top-flight title for the first time ever.

No, that’s not the reference this time: United could do with a win to stay in the conversation for a top three finish and a place in Europe next season. A top four spot would be enough if Derry City go on and win the FAI Cup, but with the Candystripes seemingly determined not to win another game for the rest of the season, United can’t be relying on others for favours.

Both City and league leaders, Shelbourne, have each failed to win any of their last five league games. Last weekend’s results mean that for the first time since the two-tier system was introduced for the 1985/86 season, the league champions will have won less than half of their league games. The last time that happened was more than 50 years ago, when Cork Hibernians won the 1970/71 League of Ireland title with 12 wins in the 26-game season.

That has allowed the likes of Pats and Shamrock Rovers – who have taken 13 points from their last six games – to insert themselves right in the middle of the title race, and with Sligo Rovers capable of putting a few results together as well, United could slip out of the European qualification places.

Pictured: Galway United’s Stephen Walsh in action against Derry City’s Sadou Diallo. The Tribesman face a crunch test away to St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night.