Saturday evening in Pearse Stadium is already evoking the kind of feeling United would have hoped their historic move to the home of Galway GAA would create.
The promise of a big crowd, a Saturday in the sun in Salthill, a game loaded with consequence.
Neither team brings much recent form into the game which only adds to the dilemma and desperation. Sligo have one win in their last 10. United have fared slightly better, with two wins in their last 11.
Important among them are the win in their first outing against Derry in Pearse Stadium and the emphatic win in Sligo.
However, both squads are evolving since that May fixture. Hugo Da Cunha, Leigh Kavanagh and Dylan Connolly all made their debuts for United last week when they were overwhelmed in Inchicore. A treble substitution by John Caulfield in the 28th minute tells the tale for any United fan fortunate enough to have missed the game.
It has been tricky this season to call the starting XI’s of John Caulfield but this context makes it impossible.
Sligo were much more competitive last time out against Shamrock Rovers and will have felt the dismissal of Daire Patton played a part in their eventual defeat.
They add some needed firepower this week with the capture of Jamie McGonigle on loan from Coleraine, a striker of vast experience. John Russell has been renowned for making moves in July to help his squad.
So far Kevin Zefi’s input has been minimal, McGonigle might be more ready made for an impact. This was clear in John Caulfield’s mind in terms of his own additions. Signing Connor Gleeson, Kavanagh and Connolly showed the value being placed on league experience, particularly mid-season.
They will need that because they are in a tight spot. Waterford’s resurgence is quickly eliminating the safety net Drogheda, Sligo and United might have hoped for a few months ago. Results last Friday left United a perilous four-points off the drop. Sligo slipped to bottom, after Graham Coughlan’s Waterford won their fourth game in seven.
Minds are certainly concentrated therefore on the significance of this game and all games in the emerging mini-league at the bottom. It will have been a difficult week in training in Galway after the drubbing in Dublin.
Yet, the hope remains that they have enough to pull out a performance on Saturday. There is enough experience in the squad. They have shown plenty of fight thus far. If they can dictate the terms of engagement, like they did against Derry, United can still go on to record a crucial win. Some will feel that they might need to.
