MATCH PREVIEW: Galway United FC vs Waterford FC

It’s new scenery for the Blues on Saturday afternoon, as we travel to Pearse Stadium – the home of Galway GAA – to take on Galway United in our latest SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division game, and we have all the information you need ahead of matchday.

Galway United FC vs Waterford FC

SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division

Saturday 25th July 2026

Pearse Stadium, Galway

5pm

WATERFORD FC

Graham Coughlan’s side travel to Salthill on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their unbeaten run to five, after a surge in form in recent weeks.

Last week’s late 2-1 win over Cobh Ramblers in our Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup added to draw with St. Pats the week previous, along with away wins in Dundalk & Derry, as the Blues look to carry that form with their first win over Galway United this season tomorrow night.

The hosts defeated the Blues in a seven goal thriller by four goals to three back in March in our last visit to Galway, before Dean McMenamy scored a dramatic 96th minute equaliser against John Caulfield’s side at the RSC in April to rescue a point with a 1-1 draw.

Saturday’s game will take place at 5pm in Pearse Stadium, as opposed to Eamonn Deacy Park, due to current pitch & stadium renovations to Galway United’s home ground.

The Blues sit in ninth place in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table going into Saturday’s game, with 21 points to our name from 24 games played to date in 2026.

GALWAY UNITED FC

Galway United welcome the Blues to Pearse Stadium on Saturday afternoon looking to move themselves further away from the relegation zone, as the Tribesmen sit in seventh position going into the game on Saturday.

Galway defeated Crumlin United 4-0 at Pearse Stadium last Friday night to make it two-wins on the bounce, having defeated Connacht rivals Sligo Rovers 3-2 a fortnight ago thanks to Matty Wolfe’s injury-time winner.

John Caulfield has brought in Leigh Kavanagh from Bohemians & Dylan Connolly from Glentoran this transfer window, as Galway aim to look up the table for the second-half of the 2026 season.

WATERFORD FC TEAM NEWS

Graham Coughlan has confirmed that he will have to assess members of his squad ahead of kick-off on Saturday, after picking up a couple knocks in the squad that were forced to sit out last weeks cup game at home to Cobh.

Evan McLaughlin returned to action last Friday, coming on as a second-half substitute having missed almost two-and-a-half months with a foot injury.

Blair McKenzie is available for selection this weekend, after his international clearance came through earlier this week after his loan move to the RSC from Swansea City last Friday.

GRAHAM COUGHLAN THOUGHTS

“You can feel a change within the stadium, the fans, the city, and in the changing room too with the winning mentality. I want to turn them into winning monsters. I want them to run over teams, but it’s okay me saying that and asking that, they have to go and do it. And to be fair to the players, they have been doing it.

They never know when they’re beat, and it’s very difficult to beat a team that never gives up. At the end of the day, we’re on the end of a late winner last Friday. The week before it felt like a defeat, but this group of players have come a long way and that’s another plus point for the group.

It’s a nice little run their on now. They’re building momentum, confidence & self-belief, but we still need to keep on improving if we’re going to carry on this run”.