Ithaca’s Vincent Borden thrives in Irish pro soccer

Ithaca has a proud history of producing professional athletes across multiple sports. Dustin Brown played a major role in winning two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings, while the likes of Nick Miller and Eli Gobrecht have excelled in the pro lacrosse scene. But one soccer player is making a name for himself in another country.

Vincent Borden is a midfielder for Galway United, a team in Ireland that entered this past season in the second tier of the country’s soccer system, called the League of Ireland First Division. Borden helped the club get promoted to the top flight for the first time since 2017 after winning the league title in late October.

The Tribesmen did so in dominant fashion by finishing 25 points above the runner-up, won all of their home games, and scored a league-high 98 goals. As soon as he joined the club, Borden knew that he could achieve something special in his first season.

“I think we had the right mentality from the get-go,” Borden said. “We had a great attitude all preseason and going into the first couple of games. We went on an 11-game winning streak, so you get a feeling that ‘Okay, we’re a decent side here.’ It’s always in the back of your mind that you’re in first place, and everybody’s trying to beat you and playing their best against you, which doesn’t help. I wouldn’t say there was one moment really that I thought we won the league. I think we just kept on going one game at a time, three points by three points. When we finally secured it, I think it was just relief and excitement for everybody.”

Borden played an instrumental role in their promotion, recording 10 goals and five assists. While his level of preparation remained the same in a new atmosphere, there were other factors that led to such a successful campaign.

“I think I went in more focused,” Borden said. “I think the attitude of the group really just helped me spur forward. You can’t give anything but your best, and that pushed me forward. I did have ups and downs like anybody during the season, but it was probably one of the best seasons I had.”

Borden further explained how the team helped him adjust to life in Ireland.

“This is honestly maybe the best group I’ve ever been on a team with,” Borden said. “Everyone is so great, from the players to the guys in the staff. They understand we’re there to do a job and can hold you accountable. But at the same time, they’re very friendly and welcoming when it comes to stuff off the pitch and whatnot. I couldn’t be happier with the group of players.”

Ireland is the latest stop in what has been a journeyman career for Borden. It began in Croatia when he was 11 years old and joined the academy of the country’s most well-known team, Dinamo Zagreb. He then returned to the states and moved to New Jersey to join the New York Red Bulls academy and play college soccer at Rutgers. That meant Borden did not play at Ithaca High School, but he did play at the local club level for Waza FC and TC United.

In 2022, his first professional gig saw him travel back to Europe with NK Rudar Velenje, a second-division club in Slovenia. Since he has been all over the map for most of his life, he’s used to acclimating to new environments, but it brings its own challenges.

“It drains me a bit when I have to fly over and I’m away from my family for a long time,” Borden said. “But I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, so it’s something I’ve become accustomed to.”

When Galway United begin their campaign in the League of Ireland Premier Division in February, it will be a tough task—like any newly-promoted team—to avoid dropping right back down to the second tier. But the Tribesmen have a good chance of staying up when looking at a separate competition they were in this past season. The FAI Cup is a knock-out tournament that involves all teams in Ireland, and Galway United made it all the way to the semifinals. Along the way, they defeated top-flight teams Dundalk and UCD, each by four goals. Those performances will give Borden and the Tribesmen even more confidence next season.

“I don’t think there’s any question we wouldn’t be able to compete with them,” Borden said. “We always knew we were a good side, winning every week even against solid teams in the division we were playing in. I think it’ll definitely be a step up and maybe a reality check for someone like me who hasn’t played at that level yet. It’s just on me and some of the other players to listen to some of the more experienced players that played in that league, listen to our managers and figure it out as we go. But I don’t think we’ll have a problem not competing in the league.”