Several teams remain unbeaten in the Premier Division going into the third round of games and an exciting battle looks set for Oriel Park as the champions host Limerick.
Cork City travel to Drogheda with both sides looking to keep their winning start in tact, while Shamrock Rovers entertain Derry City in Tallaght.
Bohemians face Bray at Dalymount, while St Patrick’s Athletic and Galway United look for their first points of the season as they travel to fellow strugglers Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps respectively.
Dundalk v Limerick, Oriel Park, 7:45pm
It’s the battle of the champions at Oriel Park as Premier Division holders Dundalk face First Division winners and newly promoted Limerick at Oriel Park.
The champions continued their fine start to the season last weekend with a 4-0 victory over Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds, adding to the opening day win over Shamrock Rovers to see Dundalk with two victories from two so far.
Team News
Dundalk: Gary Rogers is back in contention after recovering from a calf injury which has kept him out for the past four weeks, while Stephen O’Donnell (thigh) and Dane Massey (calf) return to the squad having missed last weekend’s victory over Sligo Rovers.
Chris Shields and David McMillan have resumed training after their osteos pubis and kneecap injuries respectively which kept them out of all pre-season. Seán Hoare remains out due to a groin injury and Shane Grimes is a long-term absentee with a hamstring problem.
Limerick: Team news to follow
Gaffer Talk
Stephen Kenny (Dundalk): “The crowd was electric in our first home game of the season against Shamrock Rovers two weeks ago and were brilliant again last week. We would like to have that every week. We want that passion at Oriel Park every match. It was very important to us.
“Limerick had an exceptional win themselves on the opening night. But we are at home. We want to capitalise on our home form this season. We want to bring our good form from the first two games into tomorrow night to get the victory.”
Martin Russell (Limerick):
“It is probably the biggest challenge in domestic football at the moment, to pit yourselves against Dundalk, but it's one we want to have and we're looking forward to. We’ll learn quite a bit from it.
“They’ve represented the country on a European level at a very high standard, so they have our respect but we also want to go and see how good we can be against them. We’ll try this week to get everything in motion to give us the best chance of going there and doing well.”
Drogheda v Cork, United Park, 8.00pm
Drogheda United will be aiming to continue their fine start to the season when they host Cork City at United Park on Friday, kick-off 8pm.
The Drogs followed up their narrow victory away to Galway United with an impressive 2-0 home win over St Patrick’s Athletic last week to leave them fourth in the table at this early stage of the season.
Cork are also looking to make it three wins from three in the league this season after beating Finn Harps and Galway United in their opening games.
Team News
Drogheda United: Killian Brennan remains out injured, while Jake Hyland is a slight doubt.
Cork City: Seán Maguire is rated 50/50 ahead of the tie, having suffered a hamstring injury against Galway United last week. John Kavanagh will miss out, but Garry Buckley returns after serving a one-match suspension. Captain Johnny Dunleavy has been back in training this week after missing the Galway game and he will be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Gaffer Talk
Pete Mahon (Drogheda United): “It’s been very rewarding to have two clean sheets from two games. We conceded far too many goals for my liking last season and it’s great to see progress in the team. It’s brilliant for Stephen McGuinness in goal but it’s all about our organisation as a team.
"We play an attacking brand of football but it’s all about finding the right balance.”
“I’m really looking forward to the game. I think it’ll be a great barometer for us to see what level we are at. Cork may have higher profile players who have won more but we have a young and hungry squad who are eager to prove themselves.
“We’ll be treating this game like any other, there’s no such thing as a free hit this season with three teams going down. I’ve been reminding the players that we won both games in 2015 before being relegated so there is no doubt that we’ll be keeping our feet on the ground.”
John Caulfield (Cork City): “I think there are going to be surprises this season. Too many people assumed, before a ball was kicked, that certain teams were going to go down, but I always felt that some teams would surprise people.
“Pete Mahon has been in our league a long time and he is a fantastic manager. He and John Gill have a great work ethic and the team they have built at Drogheda is a typical team for them; hard-working, feet on the ground and they will be a thorn in the side for any team they face this season.
“They haven’t conceded and they have won two from two. They have some very good players, some hard grafters and some good, hungry young players. Historically, Drogheda has always been a tough venue and a tight ground, so it has all the hallmarks of being a tight game. We know that we need to take our chances if we are to win the game.”
Shamrock Rovers v Derry City, Tallaght Stadium, 8pm
It’s a second consecutive home game for Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night with Derry City the visitors this time.
Rovers will be looking for their second win of the season, while City were unable to build on their great start to the season due to floodlight failure at Maginn Park last week, with the match against Limerick being abandoned.
Team news
Shamrock Rovers: There are no injury worries for the Hoops, however, Graham Burke is suspended for this game following his red card in the opening game at Dundalk. Burke will be available for selection for the St Patrick’s Day home game against Cork City.
Derry City: Conor McDermott is ruled out through injury, while Mikhail Kennedy played and scored in the USL fixture and will be in contention for selection. Ben Doherty and Rory Patterson continue their rehabilitation and will return to light jogging later in the week but are still likely to be out of action for a couple of games.
Gaffer Talk
Stephen Bradley (Shamrock Rovers): “We need to go and win the game. It's no use to us beating Bohs and then not showing up against Derry.
“We need to go and put in a performance and go and win the game, because if we do, the fans will come back, and if we make this place a fortress people won't want to come here and play, it's a hard place to come and play when you have a crowd like that and we play with energy.”
Kenny Shiels (Derry City): "Shamrock Rovers are a very good team. They have had huge investments and are challengers for the title and that will bring a little bit of pressure to them.
"When you bring two of Dundalk's best players, a player from Sheffield Wednesday, you bring in Roberto Lopes, the captain of Galway, Ryan Connolly - they have cherry picked and you can see what they have done and see where they want to go."
Bohemians v Bray Wanderers, Dalymount Park, 7:45pm
Keith Long has told his Bohemians players to focus on their own performance when Bray Wanderers come to Dalymount Park tonight.
Bohs have no points on the board from their opening two games of the season having lost at home to Derry City and away to Shamrock Rovers.
Team News
Bohemians: Keith Long has bolstered his squad with the re-signing of right-back Dylan Hayes, who is expected to go straight into the match-day squad. Dano Byrne and Dinny Corcoran were both forced off with injuries at half-time against Shamrock Rovers last week. Byrne (ankle) will miss out but it is hoped Corcoran (back) will be fit to start. Long-term absentees Izzy Akinade (recovering from surgery to have his spleen removed) and Eoin Wearen (cruciate) remain out.
Bray Wanderers: Hugh Douglas is rated as doubtful with an ankle injury, striker Anto Flood is carrying a slight knock but Harry Kenny is hopefully that Flood will have recovered in time to take his place in the squad.
Gaffer Talk
Keith Long (Bohemians): "Bray have won their first two and we've lost ours. We know they're going to be tough opponents but we are determined to get our season up and running.Bray had a strong second half of the season last year when Harry Kenny came in and they've continued that form into this season.
"They've invested heavily and will be aiming to break into the top four so it's going to be another tricky game. But we have to concentrate on ourselves and our own performance. It's important we start to pick up points."
Harry Kenny (Bray Wanderers): “It has been a good start with maximum points from our opening two games. We will be looking to build on that this Friday night and I am certainly looking forward to a good game. We are looking forward to Friday night. Away to Bohemians is never an easy game so it is important we prepare properly this week."
Sligo Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, 7:45pm
Sligo Rovers welcome St Patrick's Athletic to The Showgrounds on Friday night and both side are seeking their first points of the season, having started their respective campaigns with two consecutive defeats.
Team News
Sligo Rovers: Jonah Ayunga serves a one-game ban due to last week's red card against Dundalk. Michael Schlingermann is a doubt with an injury which forced him to miss the game with the Lilywhites but could be in contention.
St Pat’s: Saints manager Liam Buckley has no injury concerns heading into the game, however, he remains without striker Aidan Keena and defender Darren Dennehy through suspension.
Gaffer Talk
Dave Robertson (Sligo Rovers): "There is belief in this group of players. It's something I know we have and it's what makes unique I think. With Jonah missing we'll obviously have an opportunity for someone and that creates a chance for everyone to stake a claim and make a positive impression. We have trained well this week. We are well-prepared. St Pat's are a team we know well and they will be a big test for us.
"We are in the same place we were last year. We know what we have to do. We have to put results together like we did last season and stay true to ourselves. We have to play our brand of football and as long as we do and stay positive, then the results will come. We will take the game to St Pat's and look for a positive outcome."
Liam Buckley (St Pat’s): “Sligo have had the same start as us and will be looking for their first positive result of the season too, so that’ll been that both sides will really go for it. Both teams will look to get it down and play so it should make for a good game.
“We’re going to go there with a positive frame of mind and if we can see that in our play as well, hopefully we can come away with the points.”
Finn Harps v Galway, Finn Park, 8:00pm
After conceding five goals against Bray Wanderers last weekend Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan is looking for a much improved performance from his defence for this Friday night’s clash with Galway United in Ballybofey.
Both sides are pointless after the opening two League of Ireland Premier Division matches so there will already be pressure on both sides to take something from this game.
Team News
Finn Harps: Harps have injury concerns over goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher who sustained a head injury in the lead-up to Bray’s third goal last Friday and Danny Morrissey also remains a big doubt with the knock to the knee that forced him off in the second half of the Cork game a fortnight ago still troubling the striker. Defender Damian McNulty is struggling with a shoulder problem.
And the players could get a reminder of what life is like back in the ranks of junior football as Horgan also confirmed that kitman Shane Elliott got injured while training with the Harps squad during the week. And to make matters worse it’s the one position that Horgan hasn’t got cover for within the current setup.
Galway: Paul Sinnott is United's only absentee as he is ruled out with an ankle injury.
Gaffer Talk
Ollie Horgan (Finn Harps): “Just because we are at home and Galway have lost their two opening games won’t give us much of advantage in the light of the way we lost against Bray. Yes we need to take advantage of playing at Finn Park but it won’t be easy because Galway badly need a result as well.”
“Yes there was positives going forward against Bray but to concede five goals is simply not good enough. It’s something that we are trying to address in training. If it doesn’t improve quickly then Galway will punish us at Finn Park. We are looking for a big improvement all round.”
Shane Keegan (Galway United): "We have to be at our best to take something from the game. If we don't first and foremost match Finn Harps for fight, then we can have no expectation to take anything from the game.
“If we match them, then we can hope that different elements from our game will do enough for us to take points from the game. All of that only comes into account after we match them for fight, if we want to do well in the game."
