DUNDALK’S PLAYOFF FATE could be as good as confirmed on Tuesday evening when the Lilywhites make the trip north to face an out-of-sorts Derry City (7.45pm).
Defeat in the Brandywell would leave Dundalk nine points adrift at the bottom of the table with three games to play and a far inferior goal difference to their nearest rivals Bray Wanderers.
Even that slim mathematical possibility of escape from the promotion/relegation play-off will be of little comfort to a team which has won only three games this season, their most recent reversal coming last Friday when they bore the brunt of a Shamrock Rovers backlash and went down 7-0 in Tallaght Stadium.
That was Dundalk’s heaviest league defeat since 1955, and while manager Darius Kierans knows that he has to be realistic about the prospect a play-off, he is anxious to restore some confidence ahead of the one remaining silver lining in what has been a write-off of a season: Sunday’s FAI Cup semi-final where they host St Patrick’s Athletic.
“I’m looking for a positive reaction from the players after Friday night,” Kierans told dundalkfc.com. “The performance was poor and probably less said about it the better.”
We will learn a lot about the players after Friday. They are going to have to want to bounce back themselves.The performance was unacceptable and everyone knows that.
Ahead of their own cup semi at home to Shelbourne, Derry will similarly be looking to reverse the recent form which has seen their league campaign and European prospects fizzle out in a spell of poor results. Declan Devine’s side have lost their last four league games, culminating in a 4-1 defeat at league leaders Sligo Rovers on Saturday evening.
Winger Patrick McEleney made his return from injury in the Showgrounds and played 64 minutes while Barry Molloy, who signed a new two-year deal with the club on Monday, will be available again following a suspension.
For Dundalk, Derek Foran, Lorcan Shannon and top scorer Gary Shanahan all return to Kierans’ squad. With eight goals to his names this season, Shanahan’s return from a thigh injury is timely as the visitors will be without striker Mark Griffin who was handed an additional two-match ban following his sending off against Shelbourne.
Striker Michael Rafter (groin) and central midfielder Mark O’Brien (illness) are also doubtful, while Garreth Brady (ankle) remains on the sidelines.
