IT'S A HICKEY SITUATION

American midfielder Patrick concedes Galway are in a hole they must get out of but is confident it can be done

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

PATRICK HICKEY says there are no excuses for the slide that Galway United must arrest in a true six-pointer tonight.

John Caulfield's side are 11 games without a Premier Division win, a run that stretches back to their victory over St Pat's on June 20.

Caulfield bemoaned the team's lack of goals in his post-match interview on Monday night when United fell to a damaging 1-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Sligo Rovers.

His team has badly missed Moses Dyer following the striker's decision to move to Cambodia in late June.

Eight points clear of bottom club Cork, the teams' collision tonight gives Galway the chance to deliver a fatal blow to the Leesiders' hopes of making a relegation playoff.

Hickey, United's towering midfielder, insists the Westerners have time to turn it around as they seek to move well clear of the basement and also avoid the playoff.

He said: "There's enough strength in the dressing room, both in experience and quality.

"It's a bit like a snowball rolling downhill, it just gets bigger and bigger. So we just need to stop that and get on the right track. I'm confident we can get back there.