This transfer window feels like the most turbulent since Galway United’s promotion back to the Premier Division in 2023 with ten players leaving the club for far this window.
This transfer window feels like the most turbulent since Galway’s promotion back to the Premier Division in 2023 with ten players leaving the club so far this window.
Following a poor second half of the season after the departure of striker Moses Dyer and the desperately sad passing of former assistant manager Ollie Horgan, this season feels like it will be a transitional one, away from the team that won promotion in 2023 and achieved a fifth placed finish in 2024.
Goalkeeper Brendan Clarke, defenders Rob Slevin and Regan Donelan, and midfielder’s Patrick Hickey and Vince Bordon all player key roles in Galway’s promotion in 2023 while Jeannot Esua, Bobby Burns and Gary Buckley all helped push the club on the following season to achieve United’s highest ever finish in the Premier Division in decades.
The Tribesmen’s team this season will have a new feel to it and will have to step up to the plate quickly if they are to avoid another relegation battle. Teams around them last year, Sligo Rovers and Waterford look to have strengthened from last year, and newly promoted Dundalk look to have recruited well, including poaching Galway’s Billy Burns.
The greatest change has undoubtedly come at the back for Galway with Killian Brouder the only regular starter remaining from last season. Left back Al-Amin Kazeem has returned to the club from St Patricks Athletic, but it will be interesting to see if he can regain the form he showed in his first spell, having failed to become a regular starter in Inchicore. He also endured an unwelcoming reception any time he returned to Eamon Deacy Park after his departure, so winning back the fans may not be easy.
Galway have also brought in centre backs Wasiri Williams and Gianfranco Faccineri, with Williams having prior league experience with Dundalk and Faccineri arriving as a bit of an unknown from Valor F.C in Canada. Galway conceded 15 goals more last season that in 2024 and manager John Caulfield will hope these signings will help his side return to their impressive defensive foundation which was the cornerstone that their successful 2023 and 2024 campaigns were built.
Photo taken by @KBDPhotos
The absence of a goalkeeper after the departure of veteran Clarke and the end of Evans Watt’s loan is still a major concern, although there has been rumours that Watts could return,
The club have been able to retain veterans Connor McCormack and Steven Walsh, who scored some crucial goals to keep Galway up last year, and they will need their experience again this year to stave off relegation fears. At 35 however Walsh is aging and while the club have brought back former player Francely Lomboto after spells with Sligo Rovers and Glenavon, combined they only scored 10 goals between them last season. Another striker feels essential to replace the goals of both Moses Dyer and Patrick Hickey.
While Dyer’s departure had a seismic impact on Galway’s form, the greater loss will arguably be Hickey as his height and hold up play were integral to Galway United’s system. It will be interesting to see if Caulfield moves away from the 5-3-2, he deployed last year and the striker partnership that was made so effective by the pace and power of Dyer and Hickey’s link up play and stature. The signing of Chris Twardek and Lomboto should give Galway more natural wingers in the squad than last year and the loss of Esua and Burns as wingbacks could signal a move towards a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2.
No matter how Galway United’s season goes, there will be a huge presence absent on the sideline following the devastating passing of Ollie Horgan over the summer. He contributed hugely not only to the success of Galway United but the League of Ireland as a whole and the League will be a much worse off place without him. Without a doubt he will always be etched into the history of Galway United, Finn Harps and the entire League of Ireland community.
This will be a challenging year for Galway, and they will need to add another few new faces to their squad to at least ensure Premier Division status is preserved for another season. A new goalkeeper, a number nine of a more physical profile and a right back would all be welcome sights for United fans. Galway United are certainly going through a transition this season and it feels like a crucial one for the continued growth of football in Galway and the West of Ireland in general.
By Eoin Langan