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Derry's Gareth McGlynn will look to continue his good start to the season against the champions tonight. Inpho
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In-form Hoops facing northern exposure

It’s a bumper night of League of Ireland action tonight.

ANOTHER STICKY TEST awaits Shamrock Rovers this weekend as they travel to the Brandywell, where Derry City will hope to amend for last week’s surprising draw away to Drogheda United.

The Candystripes threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Drogs last Friday, and with the imperious Hoops’ 100% record still intact, the rest of the Premier Division will be hoping for the home team to get some sort of result from the game. If not, Rovers could threaten to run away with the league title by May at the rate they’ve started the campaign.

Rovers’ nearest challengers at this early stage are Bohemians, and the Gypsies look set to continue their solid start to the season with another win at home to Galway United. The Tribesmen managed their first points of the season at home to UCD in their most recent game, but will face a much more difficult proposition at Dalymount Park. Killian Brennan has been particularly impressive for Bohs thus far, and he will need to be kept quiet if Galway are to come home with any result of note.

If Rovers win, there will be even more pressure on the likes of Sligo Rovers and Dundalk to get three points, as they’re already in danger of slipping out of contention. With just three games gone, there is already a five-point gap between Rovers and a cluster of five teams stuck on four points, so for the deficit to be increased even further this early in the year could be disastrous for two of the ante-post favourite challengers.

Sligo will be expecting nothing less than a convincing win at home to Drogheda United – who got off the mark by displaying some true mettle to get a point against Derry – and Paul Cook’s side are justifiably heavy favourites with the bookies. Still, Joseph Ndo remains absent after he returned from time spent at home in Cameroon with a foot injury, and that has been a blow for the Bit O’Red in their opening three games, as Ndo’s magic in the middle was a noteworthy absentee.

Dundalk, meanwhile, will be looking to get back into winning ways after they were held to a scoreless draw against Bohs at Oriel Park, though they will no doubt face a difficult test away to a St Patrick’s Athletic team that have displayed some good and some bad to date.

The other Premier Division game of the weekend sees UCD face Bray on the most awful playing surface imaginable at Belfield. Martin Russell has the Students playing some attractive football on the deck, but the condition of their home turf is nothing other than a deterrent to good play. It promises to be the game that gains the least attention this week, so therefore likely to be a classic encounter.

Yet again, the big story of the week came from the second tier as Longford Town yesterday announced the signing of former Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger Keith Gillespie. The 36-year-old will make his debut against Athlone on Saturday week, having signed a deal to keep him with the Flancare Park club until the end of the season.

There shouldn’t be too many surprises on the field in the First Divsion this weekend, although Waterford United face a tough test at home to Finn Harps, with Stephen Henderson’s side still looking for their first win of the season.

Cork City should have enough to overcome a threadbare Athlone Town in the midlands tonight, while Shelbourne are likely to continue their blistering start away to Mervue United.

There are no Saturday games this weekend due to the international at the Aviva Stadium, so 10 games in total are down for decision tonight across both divisions, as Monaghan United and Limerick both look likely to defeat Salthill and Longford respectively.