League of Ireland preview: Watching brief for banned Reynolds as leaders Bohs head to Drogheda

Friday's slate of games kicks off a hectic week for clubs. 

LESSON LEARNED: Bohs’ manager Alan Reynolds will serve a three-game ban. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

After a two-week lull comes three games in seven days for Ireland’s Premier Division teams.

Good Friday’s schedule will complete the first of four series for each team, with Bohemians sitting pretty at the summit, a point ahead of St Patrick’s Athletic.

Bohs boss Alan Reynolds will be in the stands at Drogheda United, serving the first of his three-match ban following his altercation with the Shelbourne staff before the recent draw at Tolka Park.

Stephen O’Donnell, fresh from his first international coaching experience assisting the Ireland U21s, is the man tasked with delivering the instructions in the dressing-room and from the sidelines.

“I didn’t think there was a whole lot in it, just a bit of needle in the build-up to a big game,” said Waterfordman Reynolds about the flashpoint during the warm-ups.

“We move on and learn from it. The players have worked extremely hard all week preparing for this game.

“They know what their jobs are and what they have to do and, in Stephen O’Donnell, have a brilliant coach with plenty of managerial experience in the dugout.” 

Bohs have fond recent memories of travelling to Sullivan and Lambe Park, clinching European qualification by prevailing 4-1 on the final day of last season. That win curbed a sequence of four straight 1-0 losses to Kevin Doherty’s side.

“Our last trip up there was a brilliant night but we’ve had our fair share of pain against Drogheda as well,” said Reynolds, who will be missing Dayle Rooney but is hopeful of having striker Douglas James-Taylor fit for a return to his former club.

“We will work hard for it for every minute of the game and we have to be really ruthless. If we switch off, we will be punished.” 

Elsewhere, the new stand reopening at Tolka Park means that Shelbourne and Dundalk could attract a crowd of over 6,000 with the extra 800 seats.

The Drumcondra end was out of commission on safety grounds during the Damien Duff era that produced a first Premier title for 18 years in 2024 but his former assistant is enthused to see the investment of their owners come to fruition.

“It’s a reflection of where the club is going and the improvements that have been made,” said ex-Ireland defender Joey O’Brien.

“You can see it around Tolka, the dressing rooms, the meeting rooms and everything. It’s come on so much.

“I was recently sitting in the stand watching a game and you can really see the standard now.

“It’s a credit to the work that’s been done by the lads behind the scenes. It always looks great, fans in a stand behind the goal, seen some of the footage of fans there over the years. It will be great to have it back.” 

Injuries have disrupted the quest for Shels to reclaim the title they relinquished to Shamrock Rovers and welcome a Dundalk side whose form has lifted them to within one place of them in fifth.

“Paddy Barrett is back in training so it’s great to have him back in the mix,” O’Brien said of his captain.

“He’s worked really hard and is actually ahead of schedule, so it’s a big positive to have him back in full training with the group.

“On the longer-term side, Sean Moore, Odhran Casey and Milan Mgeng are still out. Mipo (Odubeko) is progressing well though. Ellis (Chapman) was back on the bench against Sligo, and we’ll look to introduce him gradually over the next few weeks.” 

Rock-bottom Waterford go into a weekend where they take on Dubin rivals Shamrock Rovers and Bohs wounded by five defeats on the spin.

Stephen Bradley takes his Hoops team to the RSC wary of underestimating the team managed by his former Ireland underage teammate Jon Daly.

“Other than the 5-0 defeat to Dundalk, I didn’t see any other match that Waterford were out of completely,” said the Rovers manager.

“I’ve watched a lot of their games - we obviously have Cian Barrett there on loan - and possibly should have more points on the board.

“When you have the likes of Conan Noonan and Pádraig Amond in your team, you always have a chance of winning games.

“We’re not foolish and we’re not ones who will look at the league table and think anything other than we’re going to Waterford and it’ll be a tough game. That’s what we’re expecting.”