Derry City v Sligo Rovers, 7.45pm, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium
We've a full set of fixtures to look forward to later for the first Monday night football of the new season.
Derry will be looking to build on their late victory over defending champions Shamrock Rovers on Friday when they take on Sligo Rovers in a north-west derby at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
Full-time: Derry City 2-1 Shamrock Rovers - Jamie McGonigle wins it for Derry deep in injury time after pouncing on a Roberto Lopes mistake. #RTESoccer pic.twitter.com/uP6qiPKNHd
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) February 25, 2022
If the Candystripes really want to mount a challenge against the Hoops this season then consistency will be critical, and their home games will have to produce a big haul of points.
Sligo will be buoyed by their victory in their season opener at Inchicore the last day, and will be travelling across the border in confident mood.
Team news
Derry City: Ciaron Harkin will miss the clash after the midfielder was forced off towards the end of Friday night’s match against Shamrock Rovers.
Sligo Rovers: Shane Blaney is available for selection as Liam Buckley can pick from a full squad.
Manager talk
Liam Buckley (Sligo Rovers manager): "It was a good win on Friday night. I was very pleased with the work-rate and how we created lots of chances over the course of the game. I felt we deserved the victory.
"It's been important to recover and we’ve done as much as we can in the last 48 hours or so. Both teams are in the same position from that end.
"It’s a tough game certainly. Derry’s recruitment is well-known in bringing in the Dundalk players and from elsewhere. There’s an expectation there really to try to win the league this season and it was a very good result for them last Friday.
"That said, we’ll go there with the onus on ourselves and look at how we can improve again. We know that you have to turn up in every game to get results in this league. It was just three points last Friday, a start, and something to build on. We’d love to add to it on Monday night."
Ruaidhri Higgins (Derry City manager): "Once we came off the field we were turning our attention to Monday night. We can't afford to lose the momentum of nights like this.
"Of course it’s a tough start but every game in this league is a challenge.
"Sligo have gone to St Pat's and won and not many teams will do that this season. They’re a very good side and we need to be at the top of our game.
"The fans were outstanding all night and that really drove the players on. I know we'll be in front of another full house on Monday and hopefully they can lift us towards another positive result."
Shamrock Rovers v Drogheda United, 8pm Tallaght Stadium
Shamrock Rovers will return to familiar settings when they welcome Drogheda United to Tallaght.
Stephen Bradley's charges looked like they had eked out a draw in Derry on Friday, so how they respond to that late concession of a goal will be interesting later.
Drogheda head to the home of champions in search of their first points of the season, having lost to Shelbourne on Friday night.
Team news
Shamrock Rovers: Neil Farrugia is still out for Rovers but other than that Stephen Bradley has a full squad to choose from.
Drogheda United: United are set to have the same squad available. Sean Roughan could start after being on the bench on Friday.
Manager Talk
Stephen Bradley (Shamrock Rovers manager):"We've scored so many late goals so we understand the feeling that you get from winning games so late and we were on the receiving end of it on Friday. It's a hard one to take."
"You always want a game to come around as quickly as possible and thankfully we have that tonight.
"We watched their game against Shels and it was a very even game. They worked extremely hard and made chances so I'm sure they'll feel that they could have got a draw out of that game. They work hard and have some very dangerous players in the attacking part of the pitch."
Kevin Doherty (Drogheda United manager): "There were a lot of positives to take. It was our first game of the season and our shape, fitness and effort were all good. We got done with two mistakes of our own.
"It will take a little bit of time to gel and we will lose games.
"The Premier Division gives you tough games and if you don't want them, then don't be in it. We'll go to Tallaght and try to get the result."
UCD v Shelbourne, 7.45pm, UCD Bowl
Shelbourne are involved in another Dublin derby later, when they head across town to take on UCD.
Shels have shown a complete contrast in form over their first two games, having been well beaten the first day by Pat's, before turning things around with that 2-0 triumph at Head in the Game Park.
They'll find it difficult at Belfield later, not least because the pitch at the Bowl is currently in its dual use part of the season. The recent storms, combined with rugby fixtures in the AIL, means that the surface is not in great nick.
College got off the mark on Friday but manager Andy Myler will know that his team are going to have to start producing some goals if they want to build confidence, and try to remain out of a relegation battle for as long as possible.
Team news
UCD: John Ryan and Danny Norris made their full debuts for College last Friday.
Shelbourne: JJ Lunney and Sean McSweeney are likely to miss out again. Shane Griffin also sat out last Friday's match with a calf problem so is doubtful.
What they say
Andy Myler (UCD manager): "On another night, with another set of officials, we would have had two penalties and you would have come away with the points.
"Shels had a good win on Friday night so we're trying to recover, and get some fresh bodies in. We'll go after it again and try to get three points."
Damien Duff (Shelbourne manager): "I was very happy to get the win in Drogheda. I felt we deserved it. Even from a selfish point of view it was good to get a first win as a manager and get the monkey off your back. The team is the most important thing and getting points on the board.
"We have aims and targets, we know what points we want to get to and wins like last Friday will go a long way to getting us there. We've another tough away game against UCD tonight. We'll go there looking for the same outcome."
Dundalk v Finn Harps, 7.45pm, Oriel Park
Dundalk and Finn Harps are yet to register either a victory or defeat in their brief campaigns. The Lilywhites have had to come from behind twice to earn two 2-2 draws in their fixtures so far.
Harps created three or four good chances at Belfield on Friday but couldn't find the back of the net.
Team news
Dundalk: Patrick Hoban and Greg Sloggett are expected to shake off the knocks they picked up in the 2-2 draw with Bohemians at Dalymount Park while long-term absentee John Mountney remains on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Finn Harps: Regan Donelon, Yoyo Mahdy, Ryan Connolly and Ethan Boyle are all doubts for Harps
What they say
Robbie Benson (Dundalk midfielder): "We showed good character to get back in the game twice - especially after their first goal when we scored straight away - and that's a good trait to have, and we dominated the second half. I don't think Bohemians had a shot at all in the second period.
"It was similar to the Derry game on the opening week, where I felt that we were the team that was going to win the game.
"It’s a huge game against Harps. These are the weeks where you can get punished for falling away if you don't pick up the points in the midweek games. During my last time at the club, we did really well whenever we had three games in a week.
"We know that whatever team goes out on any night will be able to get the job done, that is the quality we have."
Ollie Horgan (Finn Harps manager): "Two games over a weekend is a tough enough ask, but both of them being away from home makes it that bit more difficult again.
"We've been on the wrong side of some heavy defeats at Oriel Park in my time and while there’s been a lot of change there in the last year or two there’s no denying the quality they have at their disposal.
"For us, we’ll see who is ready to play after picking up a few knocks on Friday and take it from there. Hopefully we can keep it tight with only a goal or so in it near the end to give us a chance of coming away with something."
Bohemians v St Patrick's Athletic, 7.45pm, Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park is the venue for a mouth-watering Dublin derby between Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic.
Some fear where Bohs might end up this season, but they showed plenty of endeavour in Friday's draw with Dundalk.
Pat's have shown us how good they can be in week one, winning well against Shels, before losing at home to Sligo the last day.
Team news
Bohemians: Bohs had a full squad to choose from last Friday and did not report any injuries ahead of this game.
St Patrick's Athletic: Paddy Barrett continues his rehab from injury with Ronan Coughlan pushing to the available
What they say
Trevor Croly (Bohemians assistant manager): "It was possibly a fair result last Friday. It could have gone either way and ebbed and flowed. We were disappointed to concede two goals.
"There's lots we can improve on. We've been in over the weekend to recover and it's a bit frantic trying to go from Friday-Monday, recover and do a little bit of prep. We'll do our best."
Tim Clancy (St Patrick's Athletic manager): "We had a disappointing result on Friday, despite a better second-half performance, it wasn't enough so we are looking to bounce back straight away at Dalymount if we can.
"It's going to be another tough game in what is a busy period at the start of the season, but football always gives you an opportunity and with this match coming so quickly after Friday, it gives us a chance to bounce back.
"We loved playing in front of a packed Richmond Park on Friday, we've also had fantastic away crowds at both Tallaght Stadium and Tolka Park in the last couple of week's and we'll hopefully have the same tomorrow night."
