Galway focus on play-off as Cook looks for FAI Cup lift

SOCCER AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION:HAVING BEEN decided so many times down the years on the last day of the campaign, neither the league title nor anything else of note is on the line in this evening's final round of Premier Division games which cannot affect the standings of the 10 clubs.

Galway United are at the foot of the table by some margin and that’s where they’ll be staying and so John “Jumbo” Brennan has focused on next week’s play-off game with anything by way of a performance at the home of champions Shamrock Rovers providing a boost to player morale.

Galway have Laurence Gaughin and Jin Gu Kim available again but Johnny Keane and Victor Collins are still out while there are doubts about Eric Holland, John Egan, Ronan Caldwell and Alan Murphy.

After a hectic week on the personal front, Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook says he’ll rest a couple of players for the visit of UCD to the Showgrounds tonight as he focuses on the preparations for next weekend’s FAI Cup final.

“Gavin Peers is suspended while Joseph Ndo is out with a hamstring that might keep him out of the final so we’ll look to utilise the squad,” he says.

Cook admits the job offer from St Johnstone and all that went with it in recent days has been a fairly-exhausting distraction but, he says, he and his players are determined to finish the league campaign with a win.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” he says, “but that wasn’t the right move for me. The important thing is it doesn’t all become a Paul Cook saga. I’ve loved managing this club and when I do eventually go it will be a sad day but I’m happy to be staying on. I know what my team is for the final but if we win this game we can get a record number of points for Sligo in the league and go into the final in a very positive frame of mind.”