WHILE DUNDALK look to hold the chasing pack at bay by beating Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park, it’s Dublin derby central tonight for the rest of the sides in the top of the Premier Division table with St Patrick’s Athletic set to meet Bohemians for the first time since, er, last Saturday at Richmond Park while Sporting Fingal will make the cross-city trip to face Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght.
“It’s a great opportunity to come back from the disappointment of last week,” says St Patrick’s manager Pete Mahon. “I think anybody watching the game last week would have said there was very little between the teams. That defeat won’t affect us and I’m expecting a good performance and a win this time.”
Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon agrees last week’s encounter was tight enough although be might be half expecting another win himself given the recent record between the sides with tonight’s hosts looking for their first success in just short of a year.
Both sides will be missing important players this evening with St Patrick’s without David McAllister (suspended), Damian Lynch (hamstring) and Brian Cash (thigh) although Paul Byrne and Conor Kenna should be fully fit again.
Bohemians are somewhat worse off with Raffaele Cretaro and Gareth McGlynn suspended while Ken Oman, Steven Gray and Aaron Greene all miss out through injury. Jason Byrne and Anto Murphy also face late fitness tests.
The once endless Rovers injury list continues to dwindle, meanwhile, with Pat Sullivan the only confirmed absentee tonight even if Aidan Price, Chris Turner and Stephen Bradley are all doubts.
Liam Buckley’s hand is gradually getting stronger again too with Shaun Maher and Gary O’Neill back from injury but Stephen Paisley is another week or two away from playing, John Frost and Shane Barrett are ruled out by hamstring and thigh problems respectively, Shane McFaul is suspended and Eamon Zayed (calf) is a doubt.
Sligo head for Dundalk in confident mood after finding their attacking rhythm rather nicely in recent outings but Matthew Blinkhorn and Iarfhlaight Davoren could miss out this evening while Paul Cook will certainly be watching from the stands due to suspension.
Another team to hit six in recent weeks, UCD, have central defender Andy Boyle away on international duty while David McMillan is a doubt due to a groin strain but their hosts this evening, Galway, will feel more handicapped by the ongoing absence of Derek O’Brien and Alan Murphy as well as the less serious injuries still hampering Jason Molloy and Séamus Conneely.
The latter could yet start against the students, however, while Molloy might well find himself on the bench.
In the night’s other top-flight game, Bray have Mark O’Brien suspended ahead of the visit to the Carlisle Grounds of Drogheda United whose preparations have been overseen by caretaker manager Darius Kierans.
Having enjoyed considerable success with a couple of the club’s youth teams in recent seasons, Kierans has spent this week looking to restore some confidence to the side so badly beaten at the Showgrounds last weekend but he is without a number of players with Damien Brennan, Robbie Martin and Darragh McNamara out injured, Gareth O’Connor suspended and Brian King having apparently departed citing increased work commitments.
Tonight’s Fixtures
(7.45 unless stated)
AIRTRICITY LEAGUE– Premier Division: Bray Wanderers v Drogheda Utd; Dundalk v Sligo Rovers; Galway Utd v UCD; Shamrock Rovers v Sporting Fingal (8.0); St Patrick's Ath v Bohemians. First Division: Derry City v Limerick FC; Longford Town v Monaghan Utd (7.30); Salthill Devon v Finn Harps (7.0); Shelbourne v Wexford Youths (8.0); Waterford Utd v Cork City.
