League Preview: Bohemians -v- Dundalk

BOHEMIANS

When Bohemians welcomed Dundalk to Phibsborough last March, it signalled a top of the table clash with Keith Long having made an impressive start to life with the Gypsies.

Although the Lilywhites left Dublin 7 with the three points that night, Bohs went on to exceed all expectations by finishing fifth, their highest league finish since 2011.

Thus, Long’s men were expected to rival the established top four of Dundalk FC, Cork City, Shamrock Rovers and St. Patrick’s Athletic for European places this term having added the likes of Kurtis Byrne, Ayman Ben Mohamed and Mark Quigley to their squad.

Whereas their start to 2015 was impressive, 2016 performances have been underwhelming with five league defeats being suffered already, meaning Bohs languish in eighth place of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

It has been a torrid last two weeks for the north Dubliners in particular. Shamrock Rovers won comfortably 4-0 in Dalymount two weeks ago, with crowd trouble leading to the club being fined and warned about their future conduct.

Shelbourne then defeated Bohs on penalties in the EA Sports Cup, before a narrow 1-0 defeat against Derry City at the Brandywell last Friday night condemned Keith Long and his side to a third defeat in eight days.

Long, though, remains optimistic ahead of the champions' visit tomorrow evening, and he draws encouragement from the fact that his side were the only team to defeat Dundalk in league proceedings last season.

"Dundalk are back-to-back champions for a reason,” Long told the club’s website.

“They are the benchmark that we all have to strive to match. There are maybe some players who are suffering in confidence a little bit as they haven't yet hit the same heights as last season. But there is nobody you can point the finger at for not giving their all."

"These kind of games are the ones you want to play in, albeit we would like to be in better form coming into it, but I think we are in a much better place this week."

Long, like his opposite number Stephen Kenny is in the midst of an injury crisis at the moment though. Striker Ismahil Akinade, midfielder Eoin Wearen, Adam Evans and defender Jason Caffrey will all be unavailable for tomorrow’s match through injury.

DUNDALK

Facing down the barrel of adversity heading to Tallaght last weekend with five players unavailable through injury, Dundalk showed their class and spirit by yet again leaving south Dublin with the points.

A classy performance epitomised by their tireless number ten, the mercurial Ronan Finn, dictated the game like no other player in Ireland’s domestic setting can.

The former UCD, Sporting Fingal and Shamrock Rovers player has been in magnificent form so far this campaign. His wonderful second half goal in Tallaght moved him onto six league notches for the season, double the amount of his nearest challengers in the Lilywhites’ line-up, Ciaran Kilduff and David McMillan.

Stephen Kenny’s men were utterly ruthless in attack last Friday night, while Brian Gartland and Andy Boyle were impermeable at the heart of their defence, meaning Shamrock Rovers had no way to mount any sort of recovery as Gary Rogers was left to spectate for the evening.

Dundalk though will be wary of their trip to Dalymount Park tomorrow evening. Three weeks ago, a youthful Dundalk side lost 4-3 to Bohs in the Leinster Senior Cup, while it took a vicious 90^th minute Richie Towell equaliser to silence the Jodi Stand last August in the side’s 2-2 draw.

Indeed, Dave Mulcahy’s headed goal fifteen minutes from full-time in Oriel Park last June still enrages frustration in the border town to this day, as it was Dundalk’s only home defeat in all competitions last season.

Speaking to the club's website ahead of the trip to Dalymount, Dundalk supremo Stephen Kenny felt that confidence was high within his group, but warned that a win will have to be earned tomorrow evening.

“It’s always a competitive game against Bohemians at Dalymount. We have to go there and earn the win like we do every week. We are passing the ball really well at the moment and we want to carry that into the match tomorrow.”

Undoubtedly their player of the season so far, Ronan Finn stoked up tomorrow night’s encounter by claiming that his side have another gear still to go up to.

“We have more to come from us. I feel we have another gear in us. We found it tough against Bohemians last year, they managed to take a lot of points off us and we know that going to Dalymount Park we are going to find it really tough but we will prepare properly for Bohs and make sure we are at it again.”

Referee: Robert Harvey

MATCH STATS

This will be the 318th meeting between the sides. In league affairs at Dalymount Park, Dundalk have fared better over the years winning 69 of their 185 meetings at the renowned Dublin ground, with 56 of them ending in a draw.

It has been 19 years since there was a goalless draw in the league between the sides at Dalymount Park.

Dundalk skipper Stephen O’Donnell won a league title with the Gypsies in 2008, while manager Stephen Kenny won his first league championship with Bohs in 2003.

BETTING

Bohemians 9/2; Draw 13/5; Dundalk FC 8/15.

PREDICTION

Bohemians 0-2 Dundalk FC

Bohemians

Injured: Eoin Wearen (hip), Ismahil Akinade (hamstring), Jason Caffrey (hamstring), Adam Evans (virus).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Dundalk

Injured: Ciaran Kilduff (back), Ciaran O’Connor (foot), Stephen O’Donnell (ankle).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.