Sligo Rovers -v- St. Patrick's Athletic

SLIGO ROVERS

Sligo Rovers can move within a point of St. Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday afternoon if they can beat the League leaders in The Showgrounds.

The Bit O’Red go into this game with a number of absentees. Aaron Greene (foot), Danny Ventre (leg) and Raffaele Cretaro (hamstring) are all ruled out through injury while Pascal Millien is on International duty will Haiti at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Danny North (knee) is rated as doubtful but Kieran Djilali is likely to feature tomorrow following a knock which kept him out of last week’s 3-1 defeat to Cork City.

Speaking to sligorovers.com ahead of tomorrow’s encounter, Rovers boss Ian Baraclough believes up to six teams are in the title race and expects it to go right down to the final game of the season.

“Any game is important in your season. Derry played Shams on Friday night and that was an important game, to them. We can’t worry about other teams and which team is taking points off each other. From now to the end of the season, that is what will happen.  

"We just have to concentrate on beating St Pat’s on Sunday. We will concentrate fully on taking the three points and whatever happens in the future, it will still be in our hands. This game is very important, there is no getting away from that, but the league will not be won on Sunday afternoon no matter what the result. 

“There has been no talk on next week. All the focus has to be on Sunday. That is the competition we want to retain. By doing it, it gets you another year in the Champions League. Sunday can put us in a good frame of mind for Wednesday, players can’t go into a league game against St Pat’s half-tilt.

"They might find they will not be playing on Wednesday if they lack form, there are players ready and waiting that want to be in the starting team for Sunday. They want first crack at trying to cement their place for the next game. The Pat’s game is massively important and the only one we are focusing on.

“It might be that quite a few League of Ireland fans want Sligo to win this weekend. If we do, it tightens everything right up. It would make for a great ending in the next 13 games. I think it will be a titanic struggle between five or maybe even six clubs. I fully expect it to go right down to the last game of the season. 

“We should have a great crowd from both teams. That should have a big effect on the players for these big games, people are tested to the max and we will be. It’s a top of the table clash, there is expectation on us and an expectation we put on ourselves to win games like this. If we perform and concentrate on each individual performing to the max, we will win the game and that is all we can control.” 

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

St. Patrick’s Athletic will have the opportunity to put European heartbreak behind them when they visit The Showgrounds tomorrow afternoon.

The Saints were knocked out of the Europa League by Lithuanian outfit Zalgiris on Thursday evening after losing 2-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.

Pat’s have already recorded one victory over The Bit O’Red this season, beating them 2-0 at Richmond Park in April.

Kenny Browne and Killian Brennan, who scored a late goal in their victory over the champions, are both ruled out through suspension.

Despite recent defeats for Sligo and Derry City, Liam Buckley has stressed that this a competitive League and nothing is won or lost at this stage of the season.

 "It's a very competitive League, as we have seen already this season there have been plenty of results you would not have forecast and no doubt there will be more to come between now and the end of the season.

“There is very little between the top five teams and the rest can still take points off you if you are not at your best. We have had a few games where we have not gotten the results we wanted, but as I said it is a difficult League to forecast and we are still only three points clear which at this stage of the season isn't a lot as nothing is won or lost in July."

Referee: Tom Connolly 

MATCH STATS

Sligo Rovers have not lost at home in the League to St. Patrick’s Athletic since March 2009.

St. Pat’s have two former Sligo Rovers players in their squad – Brendan Clarke and John Russell. 

Sligo Rovers have five former St. Pat’s players in their squad – Gary Rogers, Evan McMillan, Joseph Ndo, David McMillan and Danny North.

BETTING

Sligo Rovers 11/10; Draw 11/5; St. Patrick’s Athletic 12/5.

PREDICTION

Sligo Rovers 1-1 St. Patrick’s Athletic 

Sligo Rovers

Injured: Aaron Greene (foot), Danny Ventre (leg) and Raffaele Cretaro (hamstring).
Doubtful: Danny North (Knee).
Suspended: None.
International Duty: Pascal Millien.

St. Patrick's Ath

Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Killian Brennan and Kenny Browne.