League Preview: St Patrick's Athletic -v- Galway United

• Patrick O'Connor
• Fri, Sep 19 2025

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

Five days after they went head-to-head in a pulsating FAI Cup quarter final at Richmond Park, St Patricks Athletic and Galway Utd face each other again in a crucial Premier Division league match at the same venue (kick-off is at 7.45pm).

The FAI Cup tie went to extra time last Sunday evening with goals in the 105^th and 115^th minute from Chris Forrester and Jordan Garrick giving the Saints a three -one victory and a semifinal clash with Cork City.

The sides had earlier traded late goals in normal time with Jake Mulraney’s 83^rd minute strike being cancelled out by David Hurley’s 90^th minute equaliser for the Tribesmen.

League points are all that matter this weekend however with Pats looking to add to their 42- point total and also to consolidate their fourth place on the table.

Their recent form has been excellent and they have only been beaten twice in the last 15 games, with those losses being the home and away Europa Conference League games against Besiktas of Turkey.

They are one of a pack of three teams, Shelbourne and Drogheda being the others, who are chasing the fourth place on the league table, albeit that mathematically second and third place are still within their grasp.

Pats defender Chris Turner was on media duty this week and when he spoke to the club’s media team he said: "I think the Cup game will heighten our senses even more for Friday’s match, Galway are a brilliant team, John Caulfield has them set up really brilliantly.

"We need to make sure we know their threats but also where we can exploit them, they defend well and they attack in numbers so we need to make sure we are on form for them."

GALWAY UNITED

In contrast to their opponents, Galway have been in freefall for the last number of months and have won only three games in their last 15 played, with two of those wins being against non-league opposition in the FAI Cup.

The one and only league win in that 15- game sequence was, ironically enough, against St Patrick's Athletic at home in Eamonn Deacy Park back in mid-June.

They also are one of a pack of three teams, Waterford and Sligo Rovers being the others, who are all fighting to avoid the promotion / relegation play off matches, a fate which awaits the team finishing in ninth place on the table.

This assumes that bottom of the table Cork City cannot close the eight-point gap that currently exists between ninth and tenth place.

The Tribesmen are currently locked in with fellow Connacht side Sligo Rovers on 30 points, with only a slightly better goal difference allowing then to claim the eight place on the table.

Midfielder David Hurley spoke to the Galway United media group in advance of the game and said: "It was disappointing to lose that Cup tie but there were lots of positives to take from Sunday.

"We played well and created chances." 

Referee: Robert Harvey.

MATCH STATS

This is the fifth and final match between these two sides in the 2025 season.

The Tribesmen won their two home games against the Saints, 2-1 in their first home game of the season back mid-February, and again by 3-1 when they met in Eamonn Deacy Park in mid- June.

Equally, the Saints have won their two home games, that Cup win last weekend and a league game in May when they held the opposition scoreless in a 2-0 win.

PREDICTION

St Patrick's Athletic 2-0 Galway United

St Patrick's Athletic

Injured: Aidan Keena

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Galway United

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Killian Brouder