Drogheda United -v- UCD

DROGHEDA UNITED

Confidence will be high for Drogheda coming into this league clash with UCD on the back of being the first side to hand Sligo Rovers defeat this season.

The Drogs bested the current league champions 2-0 in the Setanta Sports Cup semi-final first leg earlier in the week and thus bringing to an end their unbeaten run.

Not only that but the Louth outfit are on a good league run themselves without tasting defeat having picked up points in each of their last seven games since being beaten by St Pat’s on the opening day.

Manager Mick Cooke believes that the victory over Bit o’ Red helped bring about their best performance of the campaign to date and will be hoping they can carry that over into the meeting with UCD at Hunky Dorys Park during which he will have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

“I thought we played really well against Sligo, we rode our luck a little bit, they hit the crossbar after five minutes and Elding had a few chances he should have scored, but we seem to be back to our best,” said Cooke.

“I thought it was our most complete 90 minutes of the season.”

The Drogs boss also said that he believes the Students do not deserve to be as low as they are in the table and as a result his side will be taking nothing for granted when they meet tomorrow night.

He continued, “I think UCD are in a false position, Martin Russell is obviously having a tough time this year, but I've seen them play a few times this year and they are a lot better than the table would suggest. I thought they were unlucky against Dundalk and Cork and they held the ball well when down to ten-men against St Pats.

“But I won't underestimate UCD at all, they are bound to come good soon and get their just rewards. But we are growing in confidence and as always we go out with the intention of getting three points and tomorrow night will be no different,” Cooke added.

UCD

UCD will be making the journey northwards looking to get back to winning ways after a disappointing defeat last time out against St Pat’s.

A James Kavanagh red card in the first half proved to be costly for the Belfield side who sank to the foot of the table as a result.

However, a loss for Shelbourne on Tuesday night meant they replaced the Students at the bottom and with only captain Mick Leahy and Kavanagh missing, Martin Russell insists that his players are once more looking forward to the challenge of taking one some of the country’s best players.

"Our players are always looking forward to playing the best players in the land and Drogheda United are definitely up there, as the only team to have beaten Sligo Rovers so far this season, we know we will face a strong test, but one that we are looking forward to taking on,” he said of the contest.

Stand in captain Dave O’Connor is also relishing the test of coming up against some of his former teammates and hopes that if luck goes their way, then his team will head back towards the capital with the victory.

He stated, "We felt hard done by last week, we really should have gotten something from the game, the effort we put in as a team warranted something more. I always enjoy playing in Hunky Dory Park and playing against some old team mates will give it an extra bite.

“We have had a good week's training and we are confident that come Friday, if we get that bit of luck we deserve we will get the first of many three points for the season."

Referee: Alan Kelly

MATCH STATS

Do not anticipate a high scoring contest between these two, their past five games have yielded just five goals.

They almost doubled that total in one game in a clash in September 2011 when the Students bested the away side 5-4 in a thriller, battling back from 4-2 down with 10 minutes remaining to win, Graham Rusk grabbing the last minute clincher.

Meetings between the sides were extremely close last season with a draw and a home win for each so do not expect as easy a contest as some predict.

BETTING

Drogheda United 2/5 Draw 3/1 UCD 15/2

PREDICTION

Drogheda United 0-0 UCD. A tight affair between a Drogheda side who have racked up the draws so far (five in eight league games) and a UCD team who are improving greatly.

Drogheda United

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspensions: None.

UCD

Injured: Mick Leahy.

Doubtful: None.

Suspensions: James Kavanagh