The away allocation for Eamon Deacy Park is SOLD OUT. The match will be shown live on LOITV. Kick off in Galway is at 7.45pm

After the two successive wins before the international break, we had the scoreless draw with Derry City in Tallaght last week. How do you assess the game a week on, and is a point the best we deserved?

“I think a point was a fair result. I said on the night we weren’t at our best. Watching it back and going through our reviews, we weren’t at our best. But there was a lot that was really good when you watch it back and go through those reviews. We were off it with the final bit, which sometimes happens, but there wasn’t a lot wrong with the performance, it just wasn’t at the levels we have been. Sometimes you just have to accept that, understand it and move on. It hasn’t happened us yet this year but as I said, sometimes it happens.”

The early red card to our goalkeeper Ed McGinty could have derailed us overall, especially then having to withdraw Aaron McEneff to allow Leon Pohls replace Ed. But we seemed to cope very well with a man less until Derry themselves went down to ten before half time with Danny Mullen’s second yellow.

“That’s the strange bit. When we went down to ten v eleven, we still looked like we were the team that would go on and score, Derry didn’t change their game, in terms of how they play and press. Then strangely when Derry went down to ten, the momentum in the game changed and it became disjointed and a little bit slow. For some reason, it changed the rhythm of the game. It wasn’t to be, but I thought ten v eleven we were very good.”

You said that the absence of so many of our squad due to the international break may have hindered our preparation for the Derry game. Is that another necessary evil as it were, with our players gaining invaluable additional experience at international level?

“Yes, it is. You can’t have it every way. You must understand that when players are called up for international duty, they’re doing something right. So, you have to be happy and proud of that as a club. But what it does is take away that cohesion, that rhythm that you’ve had. Then you take that into account and that we’d have four or five players training differently to the rest of the group as well. You’re talking literally a whole team training differently to other players. There’s a lot goes into that, but I think if you look around Europe, it’s usually the case after international breaks, teams are off their levels. I don’t think it’s just us, it’s quite common. But we’ve done it before and been sharper than what we were last Friday, so there are other aspects we can improve upon as well when that happens again.”

Next up is a tricky assignment away to Galway United. How has the preparation been with everyone involved this week?

“It’s been good and back to normal. The squad is in a good place in terms of injuries, and we’ve had a good full training week. We’ll need that as we have a very busy April, starting with this very tough one in Galway tomorrow.”

Galway are unbeaten this season with three wins and four draws so far. John Caulfield has built a team with a real togetherness and identity. Who has impressed you in their group?

“Galway, as a group, have been very impressive, not just this season, but last season too. When you look where they were last season, for large parts of it they were around the top. They’re up there again this season and it’s no fluke so we shouldn’t be surprised. John Caulfield knows the league inside out, and Galway are very good at what they do. We need to give them the full respect they deserve. Eamon Deacy Park is a tough place to go, they’ve shown that already this season with their results. They’re more than capable of beating anyone. We need to make sure we’re at our levels and respect them.”

Everyone is taking points off each other so far this season. With attendances at games still on an upward curve and that competitive edge to every fixture, the early signs for League of Ireland fans are really encouraging in terms of how unpredictable this season might pan out.

“It’s really competitive, but it always is early on, for the first two rounds of games. This season will be no different. Teams will pick up points when you don’t expect it and that always will be the case as it’s so competitive. But that will only make it more interesting for fans in general. It’s a good thing but it’s up to all of us on the pitch to keep improving and keep the standard high. But it can only be good for the neutral and fans in general.”

Ed McGinty misses Galway due to suspension, what’s our injury update?

“Danny Mandroiu got the all clear and is back. Seán Robertson has a knock, so he’ll probably miss out, but other than Ed’s suspension, everyone is available.”