Injury woes raise relegation sceptre for St Pat's

St Patrick’s Athletic’s bid to escape the Premier Division relegation noose could be hampered by injury worries when they play tenants Shamrock Rovers at Richmond Park tonight (7pm).

With St Pat’s just two places off the bottom spot currently held by Dublin City, manager John McDonnell is already without midfielder Gary McPhee and defenders Paul Donnelly and Barry Prenderville.

He was dealt a further blow when Jimmi Lee-Jones fractured his leg in the first half of the 1-0 victory at Waterford United last week. The striker faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines while the man who replaced him and scored the winner against the Blues, Aidan O'Keeffe, is rated doubtful to face the Hoops due to a calf strain.

St Pat's, who are the visiting team in Inchicore tonight, will give fitness tests to another quintet of players: defenders Stephen Quigley, flu victim Darragh Maguire and midfielders Keith Fahey, Keith Dunne (ankle) and Joseph Ndo, who failed to finish against the Blues last Friday when he went off with a groin problem.

Rovers, who are five points off second place following their defeat to Bohemians last Saturday, welcome back fit-again midfield ball winner Mark O'Brien, although he and striker Trevor Molloy will be playing their last league games before starting one-match suspensions.

For tonight they must do without central midfielder Paul Caffrey (knee) and give fitness tests to left-back Keith Doyle (ankle) and midfielder Derek Tracey (groin).