UCD v Derry City (UCD Bowl, 7.45pm)
A RESTED UCD will look to take advantage of Derry City’s injury crisis when Declan Devine brings his men to Belfield this evening.
The Candystripes have only won two of nine in the league since the sides played out a 0-0 draw at the beginning of April, a disappointing run of results which has coincided with a perennially long queue for the Brandywell physio room.
Devine is still waiting to learn if Gerard Doherty, Ruaidhrí Higgins, Patrick McEleney and Rory Patterson can shake off injury doubts ahead of tonight’s game but he is already resigned to losing Kevin Deery, Mark Farren, Stewart Greacen and Brian McGroary for the foreseeable future.
The Students had to settle for a 1-1 draw last time out against Dundalk a fortnight ago, and coming off an idle week in which they were due to play Monaghan United, manager Martin Russell is anxious that his side start to take their chances and move away from the foot of the Premier Division table.
“I was very happy with our level of play and felt we really should have got something more than a point from the game,” Russell told UCDSoccer.com. “The difference between losing and drawing, and drawing and winning is so slight that we really need to start taking our chances.
“Games against Derry in the last couple of years have been very enjoyable games and hopefully the same will apply on Friday with us getting the result we crave.”
Team news: Graham Rusk, UCD’s top scorer this season, is out with a knee injury while Ger Barron (toe) is still sidelined. Chris Mulhall is an injury doubt but defender David O’Connor hopes to be fit following an illness earlier in the week. Mark Langtry is absent as a result of his university commitments.
Derry will be without the services of Kevin Deery, Mark Farren, Stewart Greacen and Brian McGroary, while Gerard Doherty, Ruaidhrí Higgins, Patrick McEleney and Rory Patterson are all doubtful.
Form: UCD LLWLD Derry WWLDL
Odds: UCD 23/10 Draw 9/4 Derry 11/10
Referee: James McKell
Shelbourne v Dundalk (Tolka Park, 8pm)
WITH THE CLUB’S future increasingly uncertain, Dundalk make their first Premier Division trip to Drumcondra in almost 11 years tonight when they meet a Shelbourne side whose indifferent form of late closely resembles the Lilywhites’ own struggles on the pitch.
A soft goal cost Shels a share of the spoils against St Pat’s last week, and after watching his side come away empty-handed against Shamrock Rovers the week before, a frustrated Alan Mathews said that they are making life too easy for their opponents.
“First half we were too loose and gave away a very soft goal and didn’t really compete,” Mathews told ShelbourneFC.ie. “The second half we did compete – we competed really well – we could have got something out of it, but overall it’s not good enough.
“We need to make sure that when you play against the top sides, or any the teams in this league, we have to work hard for goals and we’ve just given away a very cheap goal tonight and that gave us a mountain to climb.”
The sides played out a 0-0 stalemate when they met in early April, but the mood around Oriel Park has darkened even further since then, and Dundalk boss Sean McCaffrey admitted that they have no chance of avoiding the drop if they lose key players in the July transfer window.
“If we lose three or four players it’s going to be very, very difficult to keep the club in the Premier Division,” the 52-year-old told DundalkFC.com. “In these situations, you invariably only lose your best players. We’ve already had inquiries about Peter Cherrie, Derek Foran, Chris Shields, Mark Griffin and Michael Rafter.”
Team news: Shelbourne are without the suspended Barry Clancy and Anto Murphy, while Ian Ryan faces a late fitness test.
Dundalk goalkeeper Ger Hanley (broken wrist) and centre-half Luke Danville (knee) are both in the treatment room while Michael Rafter and Conor McDonald (both ankle) are both doubts.
Form: Shelbourne LLWLL Dundalk LWLDL
Odds: Shelbourne 8/15 Draw 11/4 Dundalk 5/1
Referee: Alan Kelly
