1. Saints look to keep up 100% record against Drogs
A 2-1 win over Cork City last Friday ensured St Patrick’s Athletic remained three points ahead of Dundalk in the title race, albeit with a game-in-hand. The Saints face Drogheda United at Richmond Park tonight, having already beaten the Louth men twice this season – 1-0 in the first game of the new campaign and 2-1 back in May.
The league leaders also announced the signing of Daryl Kavanagh from Cork City yesterday. The forward returns for a second spell at the club after spending the 2011 season in Inchicore and will be hoping he gets a better reception from the fans than he did last week.
2. Champions visit the Brandywell
Third play fourth at the Brandywell with both clubs looking to make up lost ground having topped the table earlier this season. The Bit O’Red were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Shamrock Rovers on Saturday night but should probably have scored with a number of chances squandered.
Ian Baraclough is again without the services of Danny Ventre and Aaron Green while Ross Gaynor is also added to the absent list after straining knee ligaments against the Hoops.
Derry put their European exit behind them as David McDaid scored the decisive goal against Limerick in a 1-0 win at Thomond Park. They haven’t beaten Sligo at home in four years, however, and Declan Devine will be desperate to end the hoodoo.
3. Munster derby at Thomond
Two Munster rivals meet as Cork travel to Limerick this evening. Just two points separate the clubs in the table and both come into the game on the back of defeats. Limerick boss Stuart Taylor is insisting they are in need of a victory and will not be happy with a draw.
Cork are a good side, but after the last two results I don’t want a draw, I want a win and we want to do it in a bit of style in front of our home supporters,” Taylor told the club’s website.
Meanwhile, Limerick have added to Irish youth international to their ranks. Cameroon-born Carel Tiofack comes in from Spanish side Cadiz and Jason Hughes, originally from Limerick, returns from Athlone Town.
4. Big game at the bottom
With the distraction of a possible return for Roddy Collins out of the way, Owen Heary and Bohemians can once again concentrate solely on football. They remain bottom of the Premier Division but could potentially jump above three teams with a home win over tenth-placed UCD.
While he Gypsies needed a late equaliser from Roberto Lopes to rescue a point against Drogheda, the Students went down to Shelbourne after two of their players were shown red cards.
Caretaker Heary told Bohemiansfc.com: “UCD are not an easy team. Look at their results against [Shamrock] Rovers and how they could have been 2-0 up against Shels last week.
“Even when they went down to nine men, Shels only beat them 2-1. You can’t take them lightly. Martin [Russell] has done a fantastic job there.”
5. Kenny reaquainted with Rovers
Former Shamrock Rovers manager welcomes his old club to Oriel Park this evening. The Lilywhites are still riding high in second place, a position the Hoops can only dream about right now, but were lucky to win last weekend and had a Kurtis Byrne strike to thank against Bray.
The opening night of the season saw this fixture end in a scoreless draw but Trevor Croly knows he could badly do with three points and has branded this “the biggest game of the season so far”.
(7.45pm Friday unless stated)
Premier Division
- Bohemians v UCD
- Derry v Sligo
- Dundalk v Shamrock Rovers
- Limerick v Cork
- St Patrick’s v Drogheda
- Bray v Shelbourne (Sunday, 3.30pm)
First Division
- Athlone v Finn Harps
- Salthill v Waterford
- Wexford v Longford
- Cobh v Mervue (Saturday, 7.45pm)
