Dundalk FC vs St Pats Athletic

Premier Division hopefuls Saint Patrick’s Athletic face into their third warm-up game of pre-season this Tuesday night, when they travel to Oriel Park to take on First Division title favourites Dundalk, where the Dublin outfit will be aiming to continue their unbeaten run in 2008.

A hard fought 1-1 draw against Sunderland reserves at the end of January was followed up with a 1-0 win over Irish League side Glenavon at Mourneview Park last Friday night, as new arrival Bobby Ryan fired the Saints to their first victory of the year. With another fixture down on the diary for Friday evening against Wexford Youths, Johnny McDonnell could well split his squad for both games.

Dundalk, on the other hand, will be playing just their second pre-season match, having impressed in their first outing against the Champions of Ireland, Drogheda United, last Thursday. The Lilywhites held the upper hand for much of the encounter and should have recorded a first win in five years over their bitter Louth rivals, however, it was the Boynesiders who went on to capture the Jim Malone Cup in a penalty shootout.

Like Pats, Dundalk have another game this week as they welcome Bray Wanderers on Saint Valentine’s Night, so the whole 20-man squad is expected to be used, if all are available.

Dundalk Team News: Central defender Ben Whelehan and midfielder Paul Crowley will both again miss out for Dundalk, as the pair continue to work their way to full fitness following injuries. Those absentees aside, Dundalk should have an 18-man panel to choose from, with a number of changes expected to the starting XI which held the Drogs scoreless last week.