Sligo boss up for title battle

With perfect timing, the start of the second series of Airtricity League Premier Division fixtures opens with a top-of-the-table clash at the Showgrounds this evening (5pm).

After their late, late comeback to beat Limerick, visitors Derry City arrive for the north-west derby as the new league leaders, but only on goal difference, after Sligo lost top spot after a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght on Friday.

“We’re not going to have it all our own way,” is how Sligo boss Ian Baraclough sums up the change at the top.

“We had that first eight games and wins and people were maybe getting carried away with themselves and with us as a team as regarding we’re going to walk the league. It doesn’t happen.

“There are seven or eight teams fighting there that can think they can go and win a league. There is no complacency on our part.”

With the Bit O’ Red and the Candystripes now tied on 26 points, today’s Bank Holiday clash should draw a big crowd to the Showgrounds for a game which, though still only a third of the way through the season, could yet turn out to have a significant influence on the title race.

There is also a big derby much further south as Cork City host Limerick in a Munster meeting at Turner’s Cross, a reprise of their opening day game which saw the sides share of the spoils at Thomond Park.

Both sides will be looking to bounce back from defeats, Limerick having suffered that late 2-1 turnaround against Derry while Cork were going down 2-0 at home to St Patrick’s Athletic.

The Shannonsiders are currently enjoying slightly the better of things in the league, being one point clear of a City side which has struggled for consistency.

Cork City boss Tommy Dunne said: “I think Limerick are as good as any team in this league.

“Stuart [Taylor] and his team have done an extremely good job and I think he deserves credit, both for the way they have started the season and also how they have approached the game.

“Having two teams in Munster who want to be strong and want to be at their best is a good thing, and this is a good, proper Munster derby that we are really looking forward to.”

Kevin Murray and Brian Lenihan remain sidelined, but otherwise the City boss has no fresh injury concerns, with his side reporting a clean bill of health following Friday’s game.

Elsewhere in an attractive Bank Holiday Monday schedule, under-performing Shamrock Rovers come up against their former manager again as Stephen Kenny’s high-flying Dundalk visit Tallaght Stadium (7pm).

In-form St Pat’s travel to Hunky Dorys Park to take on Drogheda United (3pm) and, down at the bottom, basement side Bray Wanderers go to Tolka Park to see if they can enjoy a change of fortunes against Shelbourne.