Champions Drogheda ready to turn on the style
Having rested a number of players for the draw against Waterford United last week, manager Paul Doolin is expected to revert to something close to his first 11 for the club’s last home game of the season.
Apart from long-term casualties Declan O’Brien and Shane Barrett, only Richie Baker, ruled out with a knee injury, is unavailable.
Doolin and his players will want to give the home fans the best possible send-off, a point not lost on Bray boss Eddie Gormley, who has relegation worries on his mind.
“There will be a great atmosphere and a full house as Drogheda — worthy champions in my opinion — will be receiving the League Championship trophy,” he says. “We will be hoping to take something from the game and it will be a big ask, but I know my players will give it 100%.”
Midfielders Mark Duggan and Paul Caffrey are ruled out for Bray. Stephen Fox, Clive Delaney and Paddy Kavanagh are doubtful.
St Patrick’s Athletic can cement their hold on second place and a UEFA Cup spot if they beat UCD at Belfield Park tonight but Bohemians are intent on capitalising on any slip up. The UCD-Pat’s game has the added significance of being the last at the venue before the Students move to the Belfield Bowl.
“We have to win our last two games to ensure our safety,” says UCD boss Pete Mahon. “We have to make sure we don’t slip up here.”
Three points behind Pat’s with two games to go, Bohs take on Longford Town at Dalymount Park, with manager Sean Connor declaring: “We are going for second place. The players want to get the performance against Cork City (in the FAI cup semi-final) out of their systems.”
But the Bohs boss is wary of a Longford side which has qualified for the cup final as they battle heroically to stay in the top flight.
“Longford are fighting for their lives and will have been boosted by recent victories. But the memory of our last encounter (Longford beat Bohs 3-0 at Flancare Park) should be enough to motivate my side,” said Connor.
Dessie Byrne, Liam Burns and Stephen O’Donnell return from suspension for the Gypsies while Mark Rossiter, John Paul Kelly and Neale Fenn are fit. The match will also mark the last home appearance by fans’ favourite Fergal Harkin, who will be hanging up his boots after Bohs’ final game in Cork next week.
Second from bottom Waterford United host Galway United in a game which will have a big bearing on the relegation battle. A point at the RSC should mean that Galway stay above the play-off place which Bray and UCD are also desperately trying to avoid, but for Waterford, the most immediate battle is to stave off automatic relegation. And if the Blues can better Longford’s result in Dalymount, then Longford will have run their league race with one game to go.
Says Waterford boss Gareth Cronin: “We are looking for our fifth game unbeaten and I think the lads are up for it. It’s one more cup final.”
Although forced out of the game against Drogheda with a thigh injury, striker Vinny Sullivan should be back for Waterford but Karl Bermingham — who replaced Sullivan last Friday — is out with a recurrence of his ankle problem.
Galway have centre-half John Fitzgerald back after a knee injury. John Russell returns from suspension but Greg O’Halloran is serving a one-match ban and Daryl Robson is doubtful with the foot injury that forced him out of the win against Derry last week.
Says manager Tony Cousins: “We know exactly what we have to do and we will be well prepared. There is a huge motivation for us to get something from this game and hopefully we can go and do that.”
Elsewhere, Derry City host Shamrock Rovers at The Brandywell with both sides looking to get back to winning ways, while Cork City and Sligo Rovers don’t meet until Saturday evening at The Showgrounds.
* All games kick off at 7.45pm.
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