Galway United travel to the Showgrounds this evening in a clash that could ultimately decide the future prospects of John Russell at Sligo Rovers.
The Bit o’ Red have suffered three consecutive defeats and are starting to look as if they might be cut adrift at the foot of the Premier Division table.
The Tribesmen lost their unbeaten record against Shamrock Rovers last time out but can move into the top three if they can win against their Connacht rivals.
Sligo Rovers’ Defensive Issues a Major Cause For Concern
Slow starts have been the undoing of this Sligo Rovers team in their last three outings. They fell two goals behind within five minutes of the defeat at Bohemians and suffered the same with just 12 on the clock at home to champions Shelbourne.
Michael Duffy’s first-half goal was enough for Derry City to come away with three points from the Showgrounds in mid-March.
It is a worrying statistic for a team that have had their moments in attack, scoring 11 times, but it is at the back where the concerns lie.
Conor Walsh has taken the number one jersey at Sligo Rovers this season and has been rewarded with another call-up to the Ireland under-21 squad, but the backline has been inconsistent in front of him.
The return of John Mahon this campaign after a long-term injury is a welcome relief, but there has been moments of rustiness in his play. Reece Hutchinson and Ollie Denham have not performed to the levels achieved in 2024.
There is a lack of defensive cover offered from midfield, and that is leading to far too many opportunities being presented to the opposition.
The departure of Niall Morahan is the main factor here with no player able to step in and fill his roles sitting in front of the back four.
There are options here with Jake Doyle-Hayes capable of playing this role and 17-year-old Gareth McElroy having the required attributes to step up from centre-back.
However, a quick fix is needed for Russell if he is to continue as manager with the team already five points adrift of Waterford in eighth.
They have a run of upcoming fixtures where it is expected that they pick up victories. A result against Galway United will go a long way to relieving the pressure on the manager.
Galway United Should Remain Buoyant Despite Defeat to Hoops
The only unbeaten record left in the Premier Division may have evaporated last week but there is a lot to be confident about for John Caulfield and his Galway United side.
Defensive solidity has become a key feature of this team since returning to the top-flight after winning the First Division title in 2023.
However, they continue to show signs of confidence in attacking areas with a more offensive setup, making the team more of a threat in the opening two months of this season.
Galway United gave a good account of themselves in the defeat to Shamrock Rovers at Eamonn Deacy Park, and it would have been no injustice had they picked up a point in that clash.
The partnership between Moses Dyer and Stephen Walsh may not have caught fire yet, but the potential is there if the manager can get the balance right between pushing forward and staying resolute at the back.
If the Tribesmen are to compete for a place in Europe they will need to become more accomplished in creating chances for the two capable forwards that they have.
For now, they continue to be hard to break down and will travel to the Showgrounds confident of keeping out an under-fire Sligo Rovers side.
Rivals Appear to Lack The Quality Required For Three Points
Sligo Rovers continue to be without star player Wilson Waweru, despite the forwards’ return to training. This is further compounded by the loss of Cian Kavanagh, who continues to serve a suspension for his red card against Shelbourne.
Denham and Doyle-Hayes are also absent for this one so it will take a monumental effort to get a result here.
Galway United will be without Dyer in attack, and that may just stifle them in forward areas.
The pressure is on the home side to pick up a result, and they will be egged on by a passionate home crowd. However, they are heavily reliant on Jad Hakiki to unlock this Galway defence.
The Tribesmen should be confident of keeping out what Rovers throw at them, but without Dyer in attack, they may struggle to have much of a presence themselves at the other end.
This one has all the signs of a low-scoring draw.