League Preview: St Patrick's Athletic - V - Dundalk

St. Patrick’s Athletic will host the 2016 SSE Airtricity League Premier Division champions Dundalk FC at Richmond Park tomorrow night.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

Dundalk’s title predecessors St. Patrick’s Athletic have endured a difficult season. The South-Dubliners lie seventh in the table following Friday night’s 3-1 loss in Cork, an exact reversal of their triumph over the Leesiders just four-days earlier.

Since winning the league title in 2013 at the expense of the Lilywhites, St. Pa’ts have failed to build upon that success in league terms. Liam Buckley’s men have won a cup competition in each of the last three seasons with September’s EA Sports Cup Final win over Limerick FC decorating over what has been a tough year.

At no stage did the Inchicore men threaten the top four of Dundalk, Cork City, Derry City or Shamrock Rovers while they have dropped as low as ninth in the league standings.

In all honesty though Buckley has insisted all season that his team are in transition at the moment having seen the experience of Killian Brennan, Greg Bolger and Kenny Browne among others depart at the end of last season.

Their replacements have found it hard to make the impression that they would have desired with Mark Timlin, Graham Kelly and the Dennehy brothers, Darren and Billy, not always being as consistent as they would have hoped.

However, in Christy Fagan they still possess the league’s most lethal attacker and their inability to challenge for Europe will largely be placed on the fact that the former Bohs man has had another stop-start campaign through injury.

Richmond Park has long been viewed as a tough venue for visiting teams although it is a stark truth that St. Pat’s have lost as many league encounters as they have won in Inchicore over the last eight months, something which they must sure up if they aim to be competitive at the higher echelons of the table in 2017.

DUNDALK FC

Champions of Ireland for the third time in consecutive seasons, Dundalk clinched their 12^th league title last night with a hard fought 2-1 win over Bohemians at a packed Oriel Park.

Reservations had been raised over the past number of weeks regarding the physical capabilities of Stephen Kenny’s men to balance such a congested fixture schedule.

Doubts surfaced following their 3-0 home loss to Sligo Rovers two weeks ago which brought Cork City within touching distance of the league’s summit.

The Lilywhites stepped up when it was required yet again though and won four league games on the trot culminating in Sunday’s win which secured the Airtricity League Premier Division title with two games to spare.

Attentions can now be turned to regaining their FAI Cup crown and of course continuing their marvellous European odyssey with a trip to Russia lying in wait next week.

It would be foolish to think that Kenny will take the final league games lightly though. Dundalk have a proud record at Richmond Park in recent seasons having won their last three at the Dublin venue, including a 4-0 thrashing of Liam Buckley’s side in March.

Relentlessness is a trademark of the County Louth side. Their constant hunger for victory is unique and with squad members such as Shane Grimes, Ciaran O’Connor and Paddy Barrett tipped to get the nod in Inchicore tomorrow night, St. Pat’s could be in line to face a Dundalk team hungry to prove themselves.

Grimes will almost certainly replace Dane Massey who is due to serve a suspension having picked up five bookings. Captain Stephen O’Donnell is again expected to be absent as he seeks to nurse his hamstring back to full health with former St. Pat’s player Sean Gannon and keeper Gabriel Sava also expected to sit the game out with respective calf and groin issues.

Referee: Robert Harvey

MATCH STATS

It’s 22 years since St. Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk FC drew 0-0 at Richmond Park.

Dundalk have won 29 times in Inchicore while St. Pat’s have won their home fixture on 13 more occasions.

St. Pat’s’ last league win over the Lilywhites came in September 2014 when Christy Fagan scored the only goal.

BETTING

St. Patrick’s Athletic 7/4; Draw 5/2; Dundalk FC 11/8.

PREDICTION

St. Patrick’s Athletic 1-2 Dundalk FC

St. Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.

Dundalk FC

Injured: Gabriel Sava (groin), Sean Gannon (calf).

Doubtful: Stephen O’Donnell (hamstring).

Suspended: Dane Massey.