Bohemians v St Patrick's Athletic, 7.45pm
Bohemians are staying grounded as they face 2013 champions St Patrick’s Athletic from five points above them in the league table.
The Gypsies are second in the table with five wins, a draw and just a single defeat to their name.
“It's important to stay on an even keel. We can’t get too high when we win and we can’t get too low when we lose,” said manager Keith Long, who is an admirer of the Saints’ style of play.
“They’re as good a passing side as there is in this league. We know it will be a very difficult game. We’ve got to be disciplined.
"We can’t be easy to play through because they have quality players with clever movement that can punish any lapse in concentration.
"The next four games are huge. First Pat’s, and then away to Sligo and Derry in the same week, and Cork the following week. That’s the challenge for us and we’re looking forward to it.”
Dave Mulcahy is in the running for a start, while Robbie Creevy has a knock and will face a late fitness test. Apart from long-term injury victim Dan Byrne, Long as a full squad to choose from.
The Saints travel to Phibsboro off the back of last week's 0-0 draw against Cork City to face the second placed side, who had a 2-0 win against Longford Town last weekend.
After claiming seven out of a possible nine points against the Gypsies last season in the league, Liam Buckley's Saints will be hoping for three points.
Speaking to stpatsfc.com, Buckley said: "Bohs are in great form so far and have started fantastically as their second place position shows. Keith has had a great start there.”
Buckley welcomes Greg Bolger, Jason McGuinness and Brendan Clarke but Togo international Cyril Guedje is a doubt. Lee Desmond is suspended.
Derry City v Bray Wanderers, 7.45pm
Derry City have taken just one point from their last two games and manager Peter Hutton has predicted that Bray Wanderers will pose different problems to Shamrock Rovers after last week’s 0-0 draw.
He said: “I don’t think they’ll be as physical, but they’ll certainly pose different problems for us. They’re on a good bit of form at the moment as well, so it should be an exciting game.”
“Seven goals in the past two games and two impressive wins away to Sligo and against Limerick at home bodes well for them.
"There was a lot of doom and gloom down there for a while, but that speaks volumes for the character in the playing staff at Bray the fact that they responded in the way that they did when all that was circulating around the club.”
Stephen Dooley, Joshua Daniels, and Shaun Kelly are unavailable due to injury.
Bray have undergone an amazing transformation since the departure of Alan Mathews. Caretaker boss Maciej Tarnogrodzk has led the Seagulls to wins over Sligo and Limerick - helped by the return of captain David Cassidy from injury.
Recent history is against the visitors as you have to go back to 2008 since the Wicklow side last beat the Candystripes in the league.
They have no injury concerns.
Drogheda United v Cork City, 7.45pm
Drogheda United will be aiming for their first win in six games when they entertain Cork City at United Park .
The Drogs seemed on the verge of a creditable point away to Dundalk last Friday having frustrated the league champions throughout only for Richie Towell to strike a late winner.
Drogheda have struggled in recent times against the Leesiders as they lost all three meetings between the sides last season with their last league victory over Cork coming in March of 2012, a 3-2 win at Turner’s Cross.
Boss Johnny McDonnell has acknowledged that his side will need a similar level of commitment that was shown last week if they are to get a positive result.
“Cork are a big and strong direct team,” he said. “They like to play compact away from home and give very little space for teams to play in while they counter attack with the pace of Billy Dennehy and Karl Sheppard. I would imagine it will be a similar game to last week and hopefully we can get the first goal.”
Drogheda should have both Alan Byrne and Sean Thornton available after overcoming injuries but Neil Yadolahi remains sidelined with a thigh complaint.
John Caulfield’s Cork are currently third in the table.
Their last game saw them record a 0-0 draw away to St. Patrick’s Athletic, giving them a record of three draws (against Sligo, Shamrock Rovers and St Pat’s) and two wins (against Bray and Waterford) from their five away games so far this season.
City boss John Caulfield told CorkCityFC.ie: “When you are keeping clean sheets, it gives confidence to the team overall and it also gives you a good chance of winning matches.
"After eight games, we will have played five away from home, with three of those being against the potential title challengers; I think we have done exceptionally well.”
Colin Healy, who has missed the last number of games, is in the running to make the match-day squad, as is John O’Flynn but his fellow striker Karl Sheppard is ruled out due to a calf injury.
Galway United v Limerick, 7.45pm
Galway United and Limerick meet in the Premier Division for the first time since December, 1993.
Last week, both clubs suffered disappointing reversals at the hands of Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers respectively, and they will be looking to bounce back by the banks of the Corrib.
Coming into the game at Eamonn Deacy Park, United sit just one place above Martin Russell's side in the table, in 11th.
"We had somebody at Limerick's loss against Bray Wanderers and by all accounts, the scoreline flattered Bray and it was a closer contest than you'd think," manager Tommy Dunne told www.galwayunitedfc.ie.
"Limerick had a lot of chances in the first half but they didn't take them. We will need to be tuned in and aware of their threats.
"We won't be taking them lightly. So far, they're the only side to take points off the champions Dundalk. They have some quality players.”
Long-term injury absentees Jason Molloy (broken toe), Kilian Cantwell (knee) and Andy O'Connell (ankle) are all ruled out, while Sam Oji serves the last of a four-game ban.
Limerick manager Russell says his side “need to be more ruthless” at both ends of the pitch when they continue their search for a first win of the season.
The Shannonsiders have taken three points, through three draws, from their opening seven games and last weekend were on the end of a 4-0 defeat by Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Galway are only above them on goal difference but they have tasted victory this term – at home to Drogheda United last month – and they have a healthy head-to-head record against Limerick, winning the past seven league clashes.
“The Bray game was frustration in a big way but such is the nature of football that you have to bounce back from these disappointments and that’s what we’ll try to do,” Russell – who is also preparing his squad for Derry City’s visit to Jackman Park on Monday night – told LimerickFC.ie.
“We go to Galway; they were very unlucky not to get something from the game against Sligo last week as well. I’m sure they were equally frustrated after that game.
“It’s another competitive one but it’s one if we keep on doing the stuff that we’ve been trying to do that we can come away with a win.
“We need to be more ruthless, probably in both areas, in defending and also in taking our chances. They are the key ends of the game that usually define who wins and who loses games. That’s what we’ll be looking to achieve.”
Limerick welcome versatile midfielder Shane Tracy back into the squad after he re-signed for the club on Wednesday, and they are expected to have a fully-fit squad for the short trip.
Longford Town v Sligo Rovers, 7.45pm
Longford lie in a very respectable sixth place after seven games, having played four of the top five in that stretch.
They come in on the back of a 2-0 loss to Bohs last week but had gone four games unbeaten before that.
Boss Tony Cousins will be quite content with the start his newly promoted team has made and, given Sligo’s poor start, will be eyeing up a result in this fixture.
Dinny Corcoran believes that luck is beginning to change for Sligo Rovers after getting a first three points of the season by beating Galway United thanks to his first-half penalty.
The new centre forward is aiming for wins against Longford, and Bohemians at the Showgrounds on Monday, to get the season kick-started and begin climbing up the table.
He said: “There has been a bit of a weight lifted off our shoulders. We have made a slow start to the season and we really wanted a result against Galway. Our performances so far have been fairly good but we aren’t getting the results.
“I think we just need a bit more luck going our way and hopefully that has started now. We need to kick-on from that win and start moving up the table.”
Jeff Henderson remains out with a foot injury, while Gavin Peers groin problem will again keep him out of this game. 18-year-old Ryan McManus, who deputised for Peers in Galway, will also miss out with a groin injury.
Shamrock Rovers v Dundalk, 8pm
Two of the remaining three unbeaten sides in the league meet in Tallaght Stadium. Rovers will be looking to reduce the gap to leaders Dundalk to just a point with a win, while Stephen Kenny will be keen to maintain his side’s brilliant start to the season, which has yielded 19 points from a possible 21.
Speaking ahead of the game, Hoops manager Pat Fenlon said: “It's a big game for us, Dundalk and the league in general and we're confident we can get a good result.
“There should be a big, colorful crowd on the night and it's the kind of game we all look forward to; that's certainly the case this time around.”
The ex-Hibs manager has a fully fit squad to select from although Keith Fahey is suspended.
Dundalk go into the weekend on top of the table after a last-gasp victory over Drogheda United last weekend in the Louth derby.
Richie Towell proved to be the hero once again as he struck in the 87th minute after a patient display from the Lilywhites to secure all three points to continue their impressive start to the season.
The result leaves the side three points clear of nearest challengers Bohemians and four ahead of opponents Rovers.
This is the first meeting of Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers this season but they met on a remarkable eight occasions last season.
Speaking to dundalkfc.com, striker David McMillan said he believes that patience was the key to the victory over Drogheda United last weekend and feels that if the side play to their current form, they’ve a “great chance” of victory.
“Tallaght will be tough and Shamrock Rovers are a good team but we believe if we keep playing the way we have been recently then we have a great chance of getting the right result,” he said.
The champions have no injury or suspension worries and are on a 17-match unbeaten run.
