(©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
Derry City v Bray Wanderers (7.45pm)
DERRY’S INJURY LIST keeps growing ahead of Bray’s visit to the Brandywell. Rory Patterson (ankle) and Barry Molloy (hamstring) are both doubts for tonight, while Mark Farren (hamstring), Stewart Greacen and Kevin Derry (both knee) are still waiting for a return to action.
Bray boss Pat Devlin has added Shane O’Connor, Sean Hurley and Conor Early to the squad which battled to a 3-3 draw against St Pat’s on Friday night. The Seagulls have won just once in 27 visits to the Brandywell, back in 2002 when Jason Byrne and Mick Doohan scored in a 2-1 league win.
“Derry are one of the best teams in the League and it’s a tough ask to go there on a Monday night,” Devlin told the club’s site.
We are having difficulty getting people off work and we have players doing exams this time of the year and it’s not easy. However it’s not our decision and we have to get on with it. It’s a challenge we are looking forward to.
Drogheda United v Cork City (7.45pm)
Mick Cooke has a full-strength panel to choose from this evening as Drogheda United look to bring an end to their four-game winless streak. Brian Gannon and Stephen Quigley both return to the squad having missed Friday’s defeat against Shamrock Rovers through suspension.
“I thought we never got going on Friday night,” Cooke told droghedaunited.ie. “It was our worst performance of the season so far. Our defence was really sloppy and although I don’t think Shamrock Rovers were at their best, we didn’t help ourselves.
Cork have had a bad start to the season, but to be fair they are turning it around and had a good win on Friday night, so they will be full of confidence.
Cork have no fresh injury concerns following Friday’s 4-2 home win against UCD. Shane O’Connor (foot) and Jamie Murphy (ankle) are still out while Stephen Mulcahy, Kevin Murray and Neal Horgan are back in training following knee injuries but not yet in contention for selection.
Captain Dan Murray is again doubtful with the stomach injury which has sidelined him for the last two games.
“In our last meeting, Drogheda were much stronger than us, but I think we have improved since then and we will be a different proposition for them this time around,” City boss Tommy Dunne told CorkCityFC.net.
They have started the season very well and they are well up the table, so they will be difficult opponents for us. United Park is always a tough place for any team to go, but our aim is to keep our good run of form going.
St Patrick’s Athletic v Dundalk (7.45pm)
Stephen O’Flynn (thigh), Seán O’Connor (groin) and Darren Meenan (shoulder) are all doubts for St Pat’s as they look to continue their unbeaten run at home to Dundalk this evening. James Chambers and Mark Rossiter are still sidelined as they recover from knee injuries.
“We had a settled side for the first series of games but have picked up a few injuries in recent weeks but that’s why we need a strong squad,” Saints captain Ger O’Brien told the club site.
If we perform like we did on Friday against Dundalk, and keep it tighter at the back, I think we’ll have a good chance of coming away with three points.
Dundalk continue to do without Luke Danville who is awaiting the results of a scan on his ankle injury and is not expected to return to action for a few weeks. Striker Michael Rafter (ankle) sat out yesterday’s training session but it is hoped that he will recover in time to take his place.
UCD v Sligo Rovers (7.45pm)
UCD slipped to 10th place, one point off the bottom of the table, with a 4-2 defeat against Cork on Friday. The Students are without James Kavanagh (hip), Chris Mulhall (groin), Tomas Boyle (back), Sean Russell (back) for the visit of league leaders Sligo Rovers to the Bowl. Defender Mick Leahy is also a doubt with a slight knee injury.
“The games are coming thick and fast and as a result we have picked up a few injuries, so our team selection will have to wait till the last minute but that is part and parcel of the game,” manager Martin Russell told the club’s website.
It is a great challenge for our lads as they are riding high in the league. We will have to be at our best to get something from the game and that is what we will try to do.”
For Sligo, Joseph Ndo is ruled out with a hamstring problem while Ross Gaynor is a doubt after missing Friday’s win against Shelbourne through illness. Gavin Peers is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
“I saw UCD play Shelbourne recently and they make it difficult for every side in the UCD Bowl,” Bit O’Red manager Ian Baraclough said.
They play their own game no matter the opposition and even though they are low in the table, they have recorded some good results in the first third of the season.
Monaghan United v Shamrock Rovers (8pm)
Monaghan United expect to have Alan Byrne and Robert Bayly available as they look for a first home win of the season against Shamrock Rovers tonight.
For the Hoops, Chris Turner is suspended following his sending off against Sligo while Ronan Finn is a doubt with a hamstring injury.
Manager Stephen Kenny told shamrockrovers.ie: “We said before Friday night’s game that our aim is to take six points from these two fixtures, and that is still our aim.
We got a good win on Friday night against a Drogheda side that has been doing well this season. And while we know it’s not easy to go to any away ground in this league, we will be doing our best to win tomorrow night.
Shelbourne v Bohemian FC (8pm)
Shelbourne come into tonight’s Dublin derby against near neighbours Bohemians on the back of a 3-0 defeat to Sligo on Friday night. Sean Byrne is available again following suspension but Philly Hughes, Anto Murphy, Brian Shortall and Paddy Kavanagh all face late fitness tests.
Lorcan Fitzgerald and Stephen Hurley, both of whom have returned to training following long absences, are unlikely to feature for a few more weeks.
Bohs boss Aaron Callaghan faces a defensive shortage with captain Owen Heary (hamstring) and Neil Harney (infection) both ruled out, Michael Barker and Luke Byrne on duty with the Ireland U19s, and Evan McMillan due to take a late fitness test.
Goalkeeper Andy McNulty (hamstring) and striker Dinny Corcoran (groin) are also out, while striker John O’Connor will be assessed shortly before kick-off in Tolka Park.
