League Preview: Bohemians -v- Dundalk

BOHEMIANS

The Gypsies are looking to make it three league wins in a row for the first time since October 2015 this evening when they welcome recent three-in-a-row league winners Dundalk to Dalymount Park (kick off 7.45pm).

If Bohs can claim all three points they would draw level with Shamrock Rovers in sixth place in the table.

Keith Long’s men are finally drawing a decent return – beating bottom sides Sligo and Bray Wanderers - from their strong performances this season.

It is a more difficult task tonight though for Bohs against top of the table Dundalk. The sides met ten days ago in the EA Sports Cup with Dundalk prevailing 3-0 at Oriel Park.

"You have to be at your best against Dundalk but that's the same for every team that plays them as they're such a strong side,” Bohs boss Keith Long to the club's website.

"They play a fluent style of football as they always have under Stephen Kenny.

"With respect to Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers, Dundalk are on another level to most teams in the league. But those two wins allow us to have a go at them tomorrow night.

"On our day, if everyone gives a fully focused performance, we can put it up to anyone in this league.

“We hope we have a big crowd here to support us and we want to go out and do ourselves justice in front of our home supporters."

Those away wins against Sligo (2-0) and Bray (3-1) respectively have Bohs looking up the table with optimism rather than looking below with trepidation. They are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone and six clear of the play-off position.

"It was very important that we picked up wins against teams below and around us in the table to put a bit of distance between us.

Bohs were 2-0 up after 32 minutes in Bray, only to see themselves pegged back by a penalty at half time.

Reflecting on the game Long said: "In the first half, we were well on top and could have scored more to make it more comfortable for ourselves.

"We created a lot of chances. Bray got back into it with the penalty and put us under pressure for 20 minutes or so.

“But we defended well and when we brought Dan Byrne and Eoghan Stokes on, the game settled down for us.

"Eoghan got the third to kill the game off and the 3-1 scoreline was a fair reflection of the game.

“He's an excellent talent but sometimes he needs to trust his instinct a bit more and pull the trigger.

"He believed in himself and did just that against Bray. Nothing beats putting the ball in the net and that goal will give him a big lift too.

"Dinny [Corcoran] scored twice against Pat's three weeks ago although one of them was mistakenly attributed to Kevin Devaney at the time.

"Now he's got another one against Bray. Strikers can be confidence players so three goals to his name in recent weeks will do Dinny no end of good.

Long can call on Paddy Kavanagh who is available after illness but both Keith Ward and captain Derek Pender are doubts.

DUNDALK

Stephen Kenny’s men sit top of the table coming into Friday night’s trip to Dalymount.

They have lost just the two league games this season, both away from home: a 1-0 loss to Cork at the end of April and a 2-1 defeat to Waterford.

Since that loss to the Blues, Dundalk have won back-to-back league games (and a League Cup win over Bohs), beating Sligo Rovers in Oriel Park last Friday and an impressive 4-1 win in Derry earlier this week.

“It was a massive game for us on Monday night and we put in a brilliant performance at the Brandywell,” said Dundalk midfielder Michael Duffy.

“It was a good win for us. We wanted to go and get a big result against one of the teams around us away from home and we did that.

“I thought everyone was great on the night and I was delighted to score myself. We are buzzing. It was a good weekend for us. We performed well, we were able to get the win after falling behind which is important.

“Derry City are a good side and we haven’t gone behind many times this year but we showed a different side to ourselves, we showed good character and got a good win.”

Another victory for the Lilywhites this week was the awarding of the SSE Airtricity/SWAI Player of the Month award to Duffy.

“It’s a huge honour for me. It was the first time I won it. I think I am playing well at the minute and I am enjoying my football. I have got a few goals and I want to get more.

“The award is nice but it’s about helping the team and helping everyone get to where we want to go.

“I want to get as many goals and assists as I can. I want to keep enjoying my football and hopefully we can keep winning.”

The injuries out mounting for Dundalk and they will have to do without John Mountney for up to two months after he picked up a knee injury.

Also missing are Sean Gannon, Stephen O’Donnell and Karolis Chvedukas, which is causing Stephen Kenny some difficulty as he explained ahead of the game.

“It has been challenging for the team,” said Kenny. “We have had a lot of things go against us this season but the players have responded brilliantly.

“They have shown the right attitude. We are going up against a good Bohemians team with a good attitude. I think that the players have shown real determination.”

Dylan Connolly scored twice when Dundalk defeated Bohs in the EA Sports Cup quarter-final last week and his speed will be a threat again this evening.

“We have real pace and it gives us a real attacking threat. We have a lot of pace in the team and it gives us the ability to break quickly.

“It’s a real asset to us and it has helped us score a lot of goals recently. It has helped with our results and we want to continue in that vein.”

Referee: TBC

MATCH STATS

When the sides met in league action last year, Dundalk won twice with Bohs claiming the other victory - all bar one of the goals were scored by players who have departed their respective clubs since then.

In Oriel Park Dundalk won 2-0 with goals from Michael Duffy and David McMillan while a late Ciaran Kilduff header earned a 1-0 win Dalymount Park.

The Gypsies won 1-0 late in the season with a goal from Izzy Akinade.

Boh's last win over Dundalk in Dalymount was a 4-3 early 2016 League Cup clash.

The last time they avoided a league defeat to the Lilywhites in Dalymount Park was in August 2015. A 90 minute Richie Towell goal squared the game at 2-2.

Pat Hoban’s brace against Sligo last week moved him top of the scorer charts in the league with 11, one ahead of Shamrock Rovers’ Graham Burke. Michael Duffy is joint third on eight goals.

BETTING

Bohemians 9/2; Draw 12/5; Dundalk 5/2.

PREDICTION

Bohemians 1 – 2 Dundalk

Bohemians

Injured: Colin McCabe (shoulder), Karl Moore (ankle), Darragh Leahy (knee), Cristian Magerusan (metatarsal), Ryan Swan (cruciate).

Doubtful: Keith Ward (foot) and skipper Derek Pender

Suspended: None.

Dundalk

Injured: John Mountney (knee), Sean Gannon (broken ribs), Stephen O’Donnell (broken leg), Karolis Chvedukas (ankle).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.