Latest news with #JohnCaulfield
Irish Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway boss issues FAI Cup warning to players, outlines transfer window problems
John Caulfield has warned his Galway United players that they could face embarrassment in the FAI Cup next weekend if they are not at the top of their game against non-league Tolka Rovers. Caulfield played and managed in the Munster Senior League after a successful League of Ireland career at Cork City. So he knows that Tolka Rovers will be up for the game, particularly as Galway haven't won in their last four outings and haven't scored in their last two. 'I think it's a great game for Tolka Rovers, coming from non-league football, that I've been in for a long, long time,' said the former Cork City boss. 'Tolka Rovers are a massive club in non-league, and I think it's a glorious opportunity for them, and they'll see it that way. 'We will show them all the respect. The bookies will probably put us as favourites, but we need to play well and the last number of weeks we haven't played well, and if we don't we'll be knocked out. 'I think the brilliant thing about the Cup is a non-league team, while they might be out of season, in my experience in non-league with Avondale, we might have been out of season but we were still very fit lads. 'Okay, not maybe to the level of League of Ireland, but we were still fit lads and I'd expect the same from Tolka.' Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Caulfield has been busy in the transfer market already this summer, bringing in Trinidad and Tobago striker Malcolm Shaw, English midfielder Axel Piesold, and former Shamrock Rovers and Cardiff City midfielder Aaron Bolger. He has lost in-form striker Moses Dyer, while the end of Cian Byrne's loan spell saw him line out for Bohs on Friday against his old teammates. The Galway boss is eager to do some more business, but says it's a tricky time of year to bring in players and expect them to hit the ground running. 'It's difficult mid-season,' he said. 'I'll always say it's hard for us to get players to Galway. 'The problem for us at the moment is a lot of them haven't played since May. If we can get to the middle or end of August, fine, but it's that conundrum where we are trying to rush boys in and you have lost players who have played the last six or eight months and who were flying fit. 'These lads are very good, you can see that, but if you are that little bit off, you get done.' Despite his rustiness, Shaw showed some good touches at Dalymount Park, and wasn't far off scoring with an overhead kick in the first-half. 'He has a lot about him, to be fair,' said Caulfield. 'We see him in training, we see him finishing and he just needs something to go in for him. 'But it is difficult. When it doesn't happen, everyone keeps referring to (Moses) Dyer. But to be fair to Malcolm, if he was here since January, with a full pre-season in him, I have no doubt that he would have a number of goals. 'He will score goals, I have no doubt about that. But it's just one of those where it's a difficult situation and we just have to dig in. 'Some of our more experienced players are probably going through a bit of a rocky patch, and that can happen.'
RTÉ News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Reece Hutchinson strikes late as Sligo pile misery on Galway
Reece Hutchinson was the Sligo Rovers hero as the league's bottom side Sligo Rovers picked up just a third win of the season, beating Galway at Eamonn Deacy Park. It was a fourth consecutive defeat for John Caulfield's men, and just a second clean sheet of the season for Sligo Rovers. Hutchinson's second goal of the season earned the Bit O'Red a massive three points, although they remain bottom on goal difference. Both sides have struggled for form of late, with Galway losing three on the bounce coming into Friday's tie, while Sligo had three defeats and two draws in their last five. Galway dropped to eighth place in the table last weekend, but do have a comfortable gap, eight points ahead of Cork City in ninth coming into this game. Down bodies due to injuries, John Caulfield made three changes from the side that lost to Waterford; Bobby Burns, Ed McCarthy and Greg Cunningham all returning to the team with Regan Donelon, Cillian Tollett and Conor McCormack all dropping out. Sligo boss John Russell also made three changes from last Saturday's defeat to Bohemians. John Mahon returned from suspension, while Jad Hakiki and Matty Wolfe returned to the starting 11 with Ronan Manning missing through injury, and Harvey Lintott and Francely Lomboto dropping to the bench. In what was a very even first-half, neither side really took a foothold of the game. Rob Slevin was on hand to divert Jad Hakiki's ball away from the goal on four minutes, while John Mahon blocked down a volley from April's player of the month Moses Dyer. Sam Sargeant in the Sligo goals was tested a number of times early on, but dealt well with everything the home side threw his way. A goal-line clearance from Gareth McElroy kept Jeannot Esua's drive out, after Sargeant had got his fingertips to it. Bobby Burns' drive was blocked down by Leaving Cert student Conor Reynolds, with Cian Kavanagh's overhead kick on 37 minutes forcing a save from the experienced Brendan Clarke in the Galway goals. The hosts thought they had taken the lead on 67 minutes when Hickey cleverly got around Reece Hutchinson inside the box, the American aiming for the far corner. Sligo had the woodwork to thank, as Hickey's effort came off the far post and bounced back into the middle with the visitors just about dealing with it. Two minutes later, the league's bottom side went ahead. Former Barnsley midfielder Matty Wolfe drove forward and picked out the run of Hutchinson on the left. The left-back cut inside and his shot took a deflection to beat Clarke as John Russell's side went ahead. Galway native Francely Lomboto worked got on the end of a good ball over the top after his introduction, but the former Galway United man was forced wide and couldn't direct his shot on target. John Caulfield's side were applying serious pressure in additional time at the end of the 90, but Sargeant was not troubled, in truth. Sligo stay bottom on goal difference, and Galway remain in eighth place. Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Greg Cunningham; Jeannot Esua, Cian Byrne, Bobby Burns (Colm Horgan, 57 [Brian Cunningham, 92]), Ed McCarthy (Stephen Walsh, 81); Patrick Hickey, David Hurley (Sean Kerrigan, 92); Moses Dyer. Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Harvey Lintott, 74), John Mahon, Gareth McElroy, Reece Hutchinson; Jake Doyle-Hayes, Matty Wolfe (Francely Lomboto, 82); Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh.
Irish Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway Utd boss on the secret to competing with richer clubs in transfer market
Galway United boss John Caulfield reckons provincial club managers have to 'box clever' in the transfer market to compete with some of the richer League of Ireland sides. Caulfield pulled off one of the finds of the season when he brought striker Moses Dyer to Eamonn Deacy Park from Canadian side Vancouver FC. He has been rewarded with Dyer's eight goals so far propelling him to the top of the Premier Division scoring charts. The 11-time capped New Zealand international was this week named the SSE Airtricity/SWI Player of the Month for April. But he wasn't on anyone's radar here before Caulfield swooped. He was reacting to the departure of Tim Clancy from his former club Cork City, and the difficulties with competing against sides that could splash the cash, when he gave an insight into Galway's success so far this season. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'The investment in the league nationwide has grown dramatically,' he said. 'If you look at the period when I was previously manager in Cork to now, the investment in clubs has been massive. And the stakes have been upped. 'And I suppose the challenges for the provincial clubs, particularly probably Sligo, Galway, Cork and possibly Waterford is competing because you're on a much lesser budget than the four Dublin clubs and Derry. 'But that's the challenge. That's why you have to work so hard. That's why you have to try and see if you can find the likes of Moses and these guys who are maybe not in the public eye. 'And there are ways somewhere that you can find these guys that will come in and make a difference. 'Ollie (Horgan) and myself put a lot of work into that, trying to find players that maybe are outside the eye of the clubs in Dublin. 'Because we know we don't have the money that's there, we have to box clever. 'I suppose the gap in that side has got bigger, but you have to try and find other ways and other solutions of how to stay in there, how to get results, how to sign players outside the box that will keep you competitive. 'And I suppose that's the challenge. And no matter if you're a manager of any club, it's really, really difficult. 'But you have to work incredibly hard and you have to have people with you who work hard and have good knowledge. 'You're not going to have any of those provincial clubs competing to sign a player that, with all due respect, Stephen (Bradley) or Duffer or Stephen Kenny come in for because financially you're not going to be there. 'So you have to go elsewhere. And that's the challenge for us.' Sligo Rovers boss John Russell, meanwhile, is another who is working off a small budget - and his Bit O' Red side is rooted to the bottom of the Premier Division. He is eager to turn things around quickly. 'The squad and staff all know results have not been good enough for a club like ours,' said Russell. 'But again, there's a huge determination within us to turn things around and there's no better way of beginning to do that than with a good result in a derby.'
The Irish Sun
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It was like the world stopped' – Stephen Kenny stunned by ‘surreal' moment that swung St Pat's vs Galway United
STEPHEN KENNY reckoned time stopped still as St Pat's survived a scare to get back to winning ways. The Saints bounced back from their last-gasp defeat against Bohs to move a point clear at the top of the table Advertisement 2 The former Ireland manager was relieved to secure another home win 2 Old foe John Caulfield wasn't too harsh on his striker First-half goals from Kian Leavy and Zach Elbouzedi were enough to claim the points as they withstood Galway's fight-back even after they had been reduced to 10 men following the sending off of Axel Sjoberg. But it could have been very different if Moses Dyer had managed to convert Jeannot Esua's cross on the half-hour mark. Dyer looked so certain to tap Esua's cut-back home that some on the Galway bench were already celebrating but the New Zealand striker failed to get a clean connection which allowed Joseph Anang to save. Within three minutes, St Pat's took the lead. Advertisement Read More On Irish Football And Kenny said: "It could have been different actually, there's no doubt about that. I thought we dominated the ball and were very good. 'But that chance, it was surreal because it was like the world stopped for a minute. Everything just stopped. It was an almost surreal moment and then we go up the other end.' John Caulfield was at a loss to explain how the league's top scorer with seven goals had not put that chance - and other less clearcut opportunities - away. He said: 'You don't ask a centre forward, he knows what happened to be fair to him. Advertisement Most read in Football 'At 0-0 we had the best chance of the match. We were dangerous on the counter but we probably were standing off too much and they boxed us in. 'Goals change games and it's 0-0. Moses would score that in his sleep all day long. Falkirk fans invade the pitch as promotion to the Premiership is confirmed 'Leavy, who is doing really well, caused problems and a simple one-two, we never tracked him and it's a soft goal. 'Pat's were on the front foot and the second goal took a wicked deflection. At half time we said we'd give it a go and on another night Moses might have got three. Advertisement 'We put them under a lot of pressure even before the sending off but the ball didn't seem to fall for him. 'In the second half we were really good and threw everything at them. If we scraped one back we felt we'd have a chance to get something out of it, but it wasn't to be.' For Kenny, seeing out the game was particularly welcome given He said: 'For us to have gone two points clear last week, it wouldn't have been a vintage performance but certainly we should have been good enough to see it out. Advertisement 'We were kicking ourselves, it should have never happened. 'Instead of feeling good about ourselves and positive all week going into Galway, I suppose it was post-mortems and analysis, because you can't have that. 'We're just delighted now to beat Galway because we knew they are tough opponents and have a very effective way of playing and cause you problems.'
RTÉ News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
LOI preview: Kenny and Caulfield duel behind Drogheda
Top meets bottom in tonight's SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division matches, but perhaps it's the clash of Stephen Kenny and John Caulfield's teams that is the highlight. With two sets of matches to come over the Bank Holiday weekend, we have never seen a table like it one-third the way through the season. The top seven sides are separated by three points, with one of the strugglers early on in the year in Bohemians now the team with the most victories. As Drogheda United make the long trip to Sligo while proudly at the summit, they will take on the highest scores in the league despite the Bit O' Red being in tenth. That sums the unconventional season so far in which any result seems possible. United have picked up just two points from their last three matches, their worst run of form so far, yet the draws against Shelbourne and St Patrick's Athletic were very credible. Defeat in Galway last week when leading did hurt Kevin Doherty, as Moses Dyer struck twice in quick succession, but they remained on top due to the results below. The game in Sligo is a good opportunity to return to winning ways and prove they can handle the heat in leading the league. Behind them comes Galway United and St Patrick's Athletic, with the Tribesmen buoyed by their last victory and the Saints struggling to find a groove. Pat's had been picking up points without playing well, until a late capitulation in north Dublin last week. It had been coming with the loss of Aidan Keena one of the reason they have struggled. His return date still remains unknown. The Tribesmen have the in-form striker in the league now with Dyer on seven goals and looking for more here. Shamrock Rovers will fancy the job in Cork City, having put them to the sword just a few weeks ago in Tallaght Stadium. The Hoops have had their own issues with leaking goals and could do with three points in the ultra competitive league. City have had more injury woes this week with Benny Couto out until later in the summer. Avoiding defeat would be a major fillip for them. Shelbourne will make a return to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, with that famous Harry Wood goal still fresh in their memory. Damien Duff will not be dwelling on it tonight, however, with an important three points on offer. It looked like Derry City were coming to the party after successive wins, before a surprise loss to Waterford. It sets up tonight's game nicely. The Blues are heading for Phibsborough to take on a Bohemians side with a much more different outlook after their super end of April. Alan Reynolds' will take on his hometown club in search of a fourth victory on the spin. After all the pressure they have felt this year, Bohs could find themselves just off top spot if they do come away with three points. St Patrick's Athletic v Galway United, Richmond Park, 7.45pm It was a new feeling in Stephen Kenny's 25-year managerial career in club football as he watched a victory turn to defeat in stoppage time in Dalymount Park. St Pat's failed to keep hold of the game against Bohs after leading at half-time and for most of the second half. Kenny said: "We were very disappointed to lose it. In the 89th minute we knew we were two points clear top of the table. "To lose it, in my whole career in league games it hasn't happened before, so it's a tough one to take. "We have to regroup now and it's all about Friday." The return to Dublin 8 will be welcome for Pat's as they look to extend a 13-match unbeaten run in the Premier Division at the venue. "It's last summer since we've been beaten at home, we've had good home form," Kenny stated. "Galway have had an excellent start to the season, they've a lot of good players. "It's a real tough challenge and one we must rise to as an occasion." Anto Breslin is suspended after a red card last week, a decision Kenny described as ridiculous by the referee. The same matchday squad that featured against Bohemians last Friday is available. Pat's have not given a timeline on Aidan Keena's return. Derry City v Shelbourne, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 7.45pm Tiernan Lynch feels the Derry City players owe supporters a response after a limp display in Waterford last week. Perhaps it's not that only on the mind of the Brandywell faithful, however. They had to watch on as Shels lifted the league trophy in Derry. It was a moment of hurt for the club as their season fell apart at the worst possible time. The new stand at the Brandywell will see it's first major fixture as the Reds come to town. Lynch feels it could bring the best out of City. "The games just keep getting bigger and bigger," he claimed. But that's what we want. Coming off a disappointing Friday night, albeit we had a good week, I think we've got an element of a point to prove now to ourselves. "We felt like we let ourselves down on Friday night. We felt like we let the fans down on Friday night. And it was a below par performance that we can't shy away from. We have to take squarely on the chin and try and put it right. "And it's a game that we're actually really looking forward to. It's a good challenge for us. It's a good opportunity for us to measure where we are compared to the first game of the season. So it's something we're looking forward to. "I continue to say that they are an honest bunch of boys. They are working very hard. Nobody wants to get better more than them. And then we just got to keep trying to improve. "Hopefully over the next couple of weeks, with bodies coming back and with numbers coming back, and we'll be in a better place when those double headers come around." Patrick Hoban, Ben Doherty and Sadou Diallo will miss out but will return to training in the next fortnight to put a different look on the Candystripes squad. Cork City v Shamrock Rovers, Turner's Cross, 7.45pm Stephen Bradley is expecting a much sterner test in this clash with Cork City compared to their previous meeting in April. The Hoops were impressive in strolling to three points, although they have not won since. Bradley said: "It will be a different game; there's no doubt about that. The 4-1 win is done, it's forgotten about and irrelevant now. Cork have brought in one or two players since then and are coming off the back of a big win over Waterford. They're at home, so we know it will be a different game and a difficult game." The Hoops boss is keen to see his side improve in both attack and defence after leading a lead slip against Shelbourne last week. "What I felt after the game against Shelbourne is what we feel, having reviewed the game and gone through all the numbers. It's definitely a game we should win and again, what we said after the game, we feel large parts of what we did were really good. We just need to be more ruthless in both boxes." Dylan Watts, Dan Cleary, Aaron McEneff, Danny Mandroiu and Gary O'Neill miss out for the Hoops due to injury. Tim Clancy admits City will be more defensive for this encounter compared to the Tallaght mauled. "We were probably too brave in how we pressed and were too open," Clancy said. "Since that, we've had positive performances. If we'd held on to win against Sligo, we'd have been seven points off the top. "There's no real good time to play a team of that quality. It was a harsh lesson in the second half and we'll have to have to be better." Sligo Rovers v Drogheda United, The Showgrounds, 7.45pm Returning strikers is the theme of tonight's game in The Showgrounds as Wilson Waweru returns to the Sligo Rovers squad, while Douglas James-Taylor could make his first start of the campaign. A First Division player for the majority of the year, John Russell took a gamble on Waweru after his loan spell at Cobh Ramblers from Galway United yielded some goal. Waweru repaid the faith with seven goals before tearing his Achillies tendon to end his season in September. Eight months later, Sligo will be thrilled to have more ammunition in attack. Scoring hasn't been the issue the Bit O' Red. They scrambled a draw against Cork City last week but risk being cut adrift if the likes of the Rebels and Waterford pick up more wins. United have been a tricky opponent for Russell's side, particularly in Louth. The Sligo boss has been quick to praise Kevin Doherty's lside as they lead the division. Drogheda are on the up at the moment and will be our hardest opponent yet this season", he said. "They're really on form right now, despite their result against Galway last have goals all over their team and we saw that up there back in February. "Kevin has done an amazing job and they'll be looking to recapture that momentum they had straight away after last week. But we've had a very positive week in training and we've spoken about how we'll deal with the game." The return of Waweru has given Russell a lift and he may opt to make changes after the below par performance last week. "Our medical team did a great job getting Wilson back so early", he said. "We had thought it might be a midsummer return for him but he was back running and striking a ball ahead of schedule and that's down to both the work of the medical staff and the player. "Wilson has all the ingredients of a top striker and we're delighted to have him back. Of course, we won't rush him but it does almost feel like having a new player in." James-Taylor was key to United's remarkable 2024 season but an injury in pre-season ruled him out of the opening quarter of the campaign. After coming off the bench in Galway, Doherty has not revealed what role he will play here. "We will have to wait and see," he told the Drogheda Independent. "There's no physical way Dougie can be 100% yet, but he did well and was involved in a number of incidents where he came close to getting shots away and he's been training properly for the last week. "With the run of games we are on there will be changes at times, but I want to emphasise how happy I am with the two lads (Warren Davis and Thomas Oluwa). They've been brilliant." Bohemians v Waterford FC, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm It almost went under the radar that Waterford registered their shock win over Derry City as late drama elsewhere grabbed the headlines. It was a massive win for the Blues and interim boss Matt Lawlor. With Ruaidhri Higgins strongly linked with the Coleraine job this week, Lawlor's chances of getting the job on a permanent basis were down no harm. He may have to put together a run of wins to land the post, knowing it would be a giant leap towards safety. Bohs have managed to do so, securing three on the bounce and now on the cusp of the the top half. Despite the turnaround, Bohs boss Alan Reynolds is not getting carried away. He said: "When results weren't going our way, I'm sure people grew tired of hearing how hard I believe the lads were working in training but when it translates on to the pitch in the way it has in the past couple of weeks, I hope our supporters see what I meant. "It's what I see from them in training every week, and it's what I believe they are capable of producing on the pitch. "Our players' persistence paid off in all three games now but we know that the challenge for us now is to keep that going. We can't take the foot off the pedal. We enjoyed the win on the night but you can't dwell on it, it's straight back to work for the next one." Bohemians are without Leigh Kavanagh (hamstring), Connor Parsons (hamstring) and Alex Lacey (hamstring) but Dawson Devoy returns from suspension and Lys Mousset (Achilles) is back in contention. Waterford will be without Andy Boyle (calf) and Trae Coyle (hamstring), whilst Matty Smith continues his rehab following his long-term injury. Lawlor is plotting a performance filled with passion. He explained: "We are looking forwards to the trip to Dalymount Friday. Bohemians are in fine form at the moment but we will travel with a plan, hunger, desire and a will to play for the jersey.
