Peter Withnell returns from suspension for the home side this evening, but there is still little enough to suggest that they can prevent the Dublin club drawing level on points with Cork again.
St Patrick's two strikers have each scored as many as the whole Dundalk side so far this season. Dundalk's manager Jim McLaughlin admits that while his side have tightened up at the back since the 3-1 defeat in Inchicore, he still finds it difficult to see where the goals are going to come from.
For the moment, sticking Withnell back in at the expense of Richard Sinden is about as much juggling as McLaughlin can do.
St Patrick's, meanwhile, will be without Eddie Gormley. Also out is Packie Lynch, who missed last week's win due to the 'flu and misses this week's game due to suspension. In their absence, Willie Burke is likely to stay on as one of the three centre backs, while Thomas Morgan may get his first league start of the season.
Last two seasons: 1997/98 - St Patrick's 1 Dundalk 0, Dundalk 0 St Patrick's 0, St Patrick's 4 Dundalk 2; 98/99 - St Patrick's 3 Dundalk 1.
Recent league form: Dundalk - LWDDL; St Patrick's - WLWWW.
Leading scorers: Dundalk - Withnell 3; St Patrick's - Gilzean and Molloy 8.
Betting: Home - 100/30, Draw - 9/4, Away - 8/11. Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).
Betting courtesy of Paddy Power
For the second week in succession league leaders Cork City have had a player suspended for three weeks for reaching 20 penalty points since the start of the season.
Greg O'Halloran, an outstanding teenager who would have been an ideal stand-in for Kelvin Flanagan during his suspension, will miss three of City's matches during December. City are scheduled to play both legs of their League Cup final, against Shamrock Rovers, as well as important league games during the month.
The underage Irish international will now miss the first leg of the League Cup final in Dublin, as well the league encounters with Dundalk and UCD.
Also on the receiving end of three-match bans yesterday were Alan Reynolds of Waterford, Bray's Bo McKeever, who was sent off at the weekend, and James O'Callaghan of Monaghan United. Damien Maher was suspended for one game as a result of the red card he received in Shelbourne's recent game with Waterford United.
