Richie Towell feels Galway United's form has become a real concern in the battle to beat the drop after Monday night's 1-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers.
While Cork City are somewhat cut adrift at the bottom of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division and remain on course to go down automatically as the run-in enters the final few weeks, the struggle to avoid the relegation play-off spot was the focus at Eamonn Deacy Park last night in what was essentially a proverbial six-pointer between Galway and a Sligo team that were reeling from a "disastrous" FAI Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Kerry the previous week.
But it's Sligo who now have the wind in their sails after Cian Cavanagh's second-half goal ensured that John Russell's side climb up to seventh, above Waterford on goal difference, and both are in turn three points ahead of Galway who have now slipped into the relegation play-off spot.
While former Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk midfielder Towell believes an experienced manager like John Caulfield won't be hitting the panic button, there will be a sense of disappointment that Galway could not build on a creditable point earned st St Patrick's Athletic on Friday when facing a direct rival in a Connacht derby days later.
"I was actually at the Pat's against Galway game on Friday. Galway were brilliant. Honestly, from start to finish, Galway were brilliant in the game and I was thinking I fear for Sligo going into this game now," Towell said on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
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"But (for Sligo) to go away from home against Galway and beat them, it's a real statement and I actually fear for Galway now because there in such a rut of form.
"And it was actually the manner of the goals that they conceded. More on a positive from John Russell's side, (Sligo) probably did what Galway do to every other team in the league - ball into the box and Cian Cavanagh got a lovely goal.
"But brilliant for Sligo to bounce back from such a bad defeat and worrying times for Galway."
The Tribesmen and a Waterford side that are on a seven-game run without a win in all competitions will meet on the league's final day on 1 November. In the meantime former Shamrock Rovers, UCD and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Paul Corry believes Sligo have the momentum on their side to pull away from danger at the duo's expense.
"You look at Waterford and you look at Galway really struggling for goals, struggling for points. They have all the signs of a team that are getting sucked down towards the bottom of the table," he said.
"If you're looking at what's left to play for within that play-off spot, the teams that are going to be involved in it, you probably think Sligo are going to get out of it.
"They have that knack of winning games, they've got that momentum behind them and last night that was a really difficult fixture to head into on a Monday night in Galway.
"To come away with three points I think that's just the boost that they need to take them away from that battle."
Aside from the impact of striker Moses Dyer's exit to sign for a Cambodian club in the summer, the form of Patrick Hickey has mirrored Galway's deterioration on the results front.
The American had weighed in with four goals by mid-April but in his 17 league appearances since then, no goal contributions have been forthcoming.
"Hickey and Dyer, they had built up a great relationship with each other," Towell said.
"Both of (Galway's) games against Pat's - the cup game and the (league game) - and (Hickey) was on the periphery the whole game.
"Every time I used to watch Galway, I used to think he was such a massive threat, from long throws, from corner kicks, from crosses.
"Now I look at him and I don't know what his game-plan is now. You could see (before) he had a clear identity, he was the target man, they got it up to him, they played off him, they got the ball out wide, they got balls into the box and he was always in there.
"Even against St Pat's, I never really saw him in the box waiting for the ball, screaming for it and I was thinking, if he's not doing that, his game is really limited and they are really struggling for goals.
"They haven't won a (league) game since the start of July which is really concerning. As Paul said, Sligo are on a great run of form since the mid-season break, so it is worrying times for Galway."
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