Bohemians v Dundalk
Dundalk can move one step closer to retaining their SSE Airtiricity Premier Division crown if they beat Bohemians tonight at Dalymount Park.
Bohs are the only side to beat Dundalk at Oriel Park this year and the Lilywhites will be out for revenge when they travel to north Dublin venue.
Keith Long’s side are also looking to bounce back, as they were beaten twice by Bray Wanderers last week – losing in league and FAI Cup.
Bohs are without long-term injury victims Derek Pender, Marc Griffin and Dan Byrne. Eoin Wearen (head injury) and Robbie Creevy (knee), who missed the cup match last weekend, also remain out.
Jake Kelly is out with a hamstring injury from the league match against Bray, while Anto Murphy is sidelined with an abdomen issue.
Long is determined to avoid Bohs' season petering out with fifth place already looking close to secure.
“We have committed to each other that we will give everything to every game," said Long. "That’s the least that the team and the club deserve and we’ll see where that takes us.
“Some games, we haven’t been good enough to break down the opposition even when we’ve dominated the possession. It’s a learning curve and we are already planning ahead. But we won’t dilute the team in the coming games and we’ll be giving it a right go to the end.”
Dundalk have no injury or suspension worries as they look to maintain or even build on their 10-point advantage at the top of the table.
Manager Stephen Kenny said: “We have a full squad available to us. The players are very focused and have been for the whole season. They have worked very hard. The performances have been good and have had nine straight away wins.
“We will get a tough game in Dalymount; we know that but we want to continue the good form that we’re in and that’s the intention.”
Cork City v Galway United
Cork City boss John Caulfield is refusing to rule his side out of the title race as Galway United visit Turner’s Cross.
City received a much-needed boost of confidence thanks to a 4-0 win over St Patrick’s Athletic in the FAI Cup, having suffered back-to-back defeats in the league before that against Limerick and Shamrock Rovers.
Caulfield said: “Last year, with eight games to go, we looked out of the running. Funny things can happen, but the most important thing for us is that we have three games in nine days and we are at home for the next two.
“We need to make sure that on Friday night we go out with the right intention, the right approach and take the three points.”
Steven Beattie and Stephen Folan return to the squad after being cup-tied for the win over St Pat’s, but Gavan Holohan and John Dunleavy remain sidelined.
Danny Morrissey and John Kavanagh will also miss out, while there is a doubt over the availability of Darren Dennehy.
For relegation-threatened Galway, Enda Curran misses the trip through suspension.
Stephen Walsh (ribs) is still experiencing soreness and is ruled out. Marc Ludden (concussion) has not recovered fully and won't be risked.
Padraic Cunningham (knee) is recovering from surgery, Ryan Connolly (ankle) is still sidelined for the Tribesmen. Samuel Oji (calf) is rated as 50/50.
Long-term absentee Andy O'Connell trained this week in full without ill-effects and he is expected to take his place on the bench for the first time since April.
With a depleted squad, Tommy Dunne knows his side are up against it tonight.
He said: “A trip to Turner’s Cross is a difficult assignment for us. Cork City showed their quality against St Pat’s last week in the cup and they will be eager to continue that form in the league against us.
"It's getting late in the day now and points are needed on the board. In a game such as this, we need to be fighting for each other and battling against a solid Cork City team.
"You have to be positive but not cavalier in your approach, we have to be diligent and we will have to stick to our gameplan at Turner's Cross.
"We're going to Turner's Cross to have a go at them, it will be difficult, we're down some important players. We will be up against it.”
Drogheda United v Limerick
Limerick know they have a fantastic opportunity to continue their remarkable resurgence when they visit Drogheda United tonight.
Having looked certainties for the drop just a few weeks ago, Martin Russell’s men have given themselves a chance of a great escape after taking 10 points from the last four games.
In contrast, Drogheda have picked up just two from seven matches and have seen their chances of going down increase. The five sides about Limerick are separated by three points in the bottom half of the table and a win for the Blues tonight would make it even tighter at the foot of the standings.
Limerick will be without captain Shane Duggan due to suspension, while Prince Agyemang continues to miss out with a knee injury.
United have been boosted by the unlikely signing of former Republic of Ireland international Keith Treacy and he is available for selection. Fellow new signing Roddy Collins also come into the mix.
Robert Bayly will serve an additional one-match suspension after his controversial red card against Sligo Rovers.
Drogheda boss Johnny McDonnell said “Everyone from Longford Town downwards are firmly in the relegation mix. We’ve been in the mix for most of the season so that might stand to us in the end as both Longford and Galway looked to be safe a few weeks ago.
“That’s the one benefit from the defeat on Friday in the Cup against Derry. The players can now refocus on the league and give it their all for the final two months of the campaign.”
Martin Russell is calling on his side to be fearless again: “The recent results we’ve got, we got because we have been brave. We have gone to win the games and I think there’s a formula there that, if we keep at it, will see us right.
“A win in Drogheda would be a big win but to achieve that we will have to play really well.”
St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City
With St Patrick’s Athletic out of Cup competition and almost certainly out of the title race, thoughts turn to securing European football again as they host Derry City at Richmond Park.
Third place is the final guaranteed spot for Europa League football and with Cork City and Shamrock Rovers currently above the Saints, they face a fight to be back in Europe next year.
The Saints will be looking to put recent defeats against Dundalk and Cork City behind them and get their season back on track.
Saints' manager Liam Buckley will give a late fitness test to Ian Morris, while he remains without the services of striker Christy Fagan with a knee injury.
"Derry have shown some good form in recent weeks so we are expecting them to come in Inchicore on Friday and really put it up to us. Peter Hutton always has his side set-up to go out and win and that will be no different on Friday," Buckley said.
"We were disappointed with the last two results.
"We have got a chance on Friday to get back to winning ways. If we can get our performance levels back up to where they were before our recent games against Dundalk and Cork, we can hopefully get the three points."
Derry are back in the relegation mix after also losing their last two league games but a Cup win over Drogheda has at least raised spirits at The Brandywell.
Conor McCormack and Philip Lowry are suspended, which Peter Hutton admits will leave his side “without a wee bit of bite in the middle of the park”.
Hutton has labelled the decision to give Lowry an additional two-match ban for his red card in Sligo as “shocking” and “absolutely crazy” and said the FAI disciplinary process needs to change.
He added: “Pat’s will be very much a wounded animal. We were delighted to get into the next round of the Cup. We know now the Pat’s game will be a completely different game.”
