Soccer/National League: With talks between his Eircom League club and Ipswich Town continuing, Daryl Murphy will make what could be his last start for Waterford United this evening at Tolka Park where the early-season league leaders take on defending champions Shelbourne.
Murphy returned from Portman Road yesterday apparently having done well enough to maintain Joe Royle's interest in taking him to England on a permanent basis.
"I'd say there'll be a fair bit of movement on it over the weekend," said United manager Alan Reynolds, who is increasingly resigned to losing the prolific former under-21 international.
"He's been great for me here and it would be terrible to lose him, but if he does go then all I can do is wish him the best," said Reynolds. "To be honest, I don't know a huge amount about the standard in the Championship over there, but I can't see any reason why Daryl wouldn't make it because he has everything: he's strong, quick, big and has an eye for goal.
"He's been captain here, too, when John Frost has been injured and taken the added responsibility in his stride, so he certainly has the talent and temperament to make a go of it if the move does actually go through."
Reynolds could be forgiven for worrying that the 22-year-old's mind might be elsewhere this evening, but, said the club's player-manager, "He knows he has to keep delivering if he doesn't want Ipswich to lose interest, so I have no real fears on that score."
The visitors, will, meanwhile, be without Kevin Doherty for the game due to a clause in the player's loan deal from the Tolka Park outfit, and David Breen is the most likely replacement. Reynolds himself remains a major doubt with the midfielder still suffering from a groin strain that kept him out of last week's win over Finn Harps.
Shelbourne are still without Bobby Ryan and Glen Fitzpatrick, so Pat Fenlon is likely to stick with much the same team as lost in Cork during the week. With two goals in three starts, Richie Baker is expected to retain his place on the right wing, while new strike partners Jason Byrne and Glen Crowe will again look for a first goal between them.
Stephen Kenny is likely to make some minor adjustments to the Derry City team that beat Drogheda two weeks ago for this evening's game at Dalymount Park due to the return from suspension of Eddie McCallion and Damien Brennan.
The manager returns to his former club still missing Barry Molloy and Kevin Deery but with an otherwise strong panel to choose from, and McCallion could edge his way into the starting line-up at right back with Mark McChrystal the one to lose out.
Bohemians have player-manager Gareth Farrelly and striker Tony Grant back in contention to start after the pair made good progress this week in training as they worked to shake off injuries picked up against Shamrock Rovers a fortnight ago, but Thomas Heary is still out with the ankle problem sustained in the same game.
Shane Robinson could make his first competitive start for Drogheda against St Patrick's this evening if Paul Doolin decides to change the team that beat UCD last week. The visitors, who are at full strength, could be unchanged.
Bray look set to be without Chris O'Connor for the visit of UCD, with the goalkeeper having picked up an ankle injury in the draw with Cork. So Niall Hobbert is in line to make his debut, while Robbie McGuinness and Kevin Grogan are both added to Pat Devlin's squad.
UCD manager Pete Mahon must wait to check on the fitness of left back Conor Kenna (calf) before naming his side for a game that, he concedes, could look all the more important a few months down the line.
"I know it's very early yet, but before the season started most people would have had Bray, ourselves or Harps going down, so this does look like one of those games you probably have to win, and after a very poor performances last week that's what we intend to do."
