Cork soccer fans will be keeping a close eye on Galway in the Premier Division

AS Galway United make a return to the League Of Ireland Premier Division for 2024, there are a number of Corkmen that will be lining out for the West Of Ireland club in the top flight.

While Galway will of course also be managed by a Cork City FC playing and managing legend in John Caulfield.

It is safe to say Caulfield has put his stamp on this Galway team and they will be intent on holding their own and consolidating in the Premier Division.

Caulfield proved at Cork City how he can build a club up to being the top dogs of domestic Irish football. 

He will hope to lead Galway United on a similar journey over the coming years.

The 2023 season saw the John Caulfield managed Galway United side steamroll their way to the First Division title. 

They were the standout side in the division from the very outset and ultimately got over the line with plenty to spare.

In the end Galway won the First Division crown with a total of 94 points. 

This was a whopping twenty five points ahead of the team that finished in second place in Waterford.

During the run to automatic promotion, Galway were to win 30 out of their 36 league games played. 

They scored a total of 98 goals and conceded a total of 18 goals over the course of the league campaign.

John Caulfield, along with a very trusted and well respected coach in Ollie Horgan alongside him, will know a competitive squad will need to be assembled to ensure Galway stay in the Premier Division in 2024.

Through the relegation of UCD, along with a takeover at Drogheda United and a Waterford side also determined to avoid the drop after promotion, it promises to be a highly competitive Premier Division in 2024.

Caulfield will be determined to make sure the structures are in place to not only stay in the top flight, but for the club to try and kick on over the coming seasons as well.

Midfielder David Hurley had a brilliant campaign in 2023 winning the Galway United Men’s Player of the Year and scoring 24 goals throughout the season for the Tribesmen. 

The former Cobh Ramblers man has signed back with Galway for the 2024 campaign and a crack off of Premier Division football.

Over the course of the First Division title winning campaign with Galway, Hurley was impressive throughout and he was also recognised by his footballing colleagues through his inclusion in the PFAI First Division Team of the Year and a nomination alongside teammate Stephen Walsh and Waterford’s Ronan Coughlan for First Division Player of the Year.

The impressive displays of Hurley helped Galway to win the league convincingly and earn promotion back to the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division last term.

David Hurley is a player who has earned the right and deservingly is set to get the opportunity to test himself at the highest level of club football in Ireland.

Another Corkman who has joined up in the Galway United ranks for 2024 is Garry Buckley. 

He knows how John Caulfield teams operate, having been part of the 2017 double winning Premier Division title and FAI Cup winning side.

Buckley will link up with a fellow teammate of the 2017 Cork City double winning team at Eamonn Deacy Park in Conor McCormack, who has been one of the key leaders in the dressing room for John Caulfield at Galway.

For the 2024 League Of Ireland Premier Division, Galway will mark their return to the top flight when they play host to St Patrick’s Athletic on the 16th of February.

It promises to be a bumper night and a sold out crowd at Eamonn Deacy Park.

The Saints side on the opening night also will have a Cork connection, with former Cork City goal scoring machine Ruairi Keating and also Aaron Bolger, who also has made the move to the Dublin club from Leeside.

While Cork City FC will be plying their trade in the First Division next season, there will be plenty of Cork interest for those following the fortunes of Galway United over the coming months.