Fingal's Maher back to face Dundalk

Sporting Fingal can stay in touch at the top of the table with victory over Dundalk at Morton Stadium tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.

Shaun Maher returns from suspension to the Fingal squad, while Colin Hawkins remains on the comeback trail from his broken ribs and could make next week’s game at UCD.

Sporting manager Liam Buckley said: “I think it’s reasonable to state that Dundalk have suffered on the results front lately primarily due to injury problems.

“Now with some of their key players returning from the sidelines, we’ll begin to see the form they displayed earlier in the campaign when they topped the table.

“Through sheer grit and determination, we’ve managed to collect maximum points from Dundalk in our two league games so far, a far cry from the defeats we suffered two years ago against them in the First Division.”

Dundalk are without Stephen Maher for the trip to Dublin as he is serving a suspension, while Garry Breen (illness) and Alan Cawley (back) are also ruled out.

Cawley went under the knife last Monday and reported that the operation ‘went well’.

Stephen McDonnell has returned from international duty and is available along with captain Liam Burns who has not appeared since the side’s last clean sheet.

Steven Lennon is struggling with a foot injury and is a doubt for the Fingal clash.