League Preview: Drogheda United -v- Sligo Rovers

Gary Deegan and Greg Bolger in action in the 1-1 draw between the teams in Drogheda last April

Gary Deegan and Greg Bolger in action in the 1-1 draw between the teams in Drogheda last April Credit: Larry McQuillan (ETPhotos)

DROGHEDA UNITED

Two sides who both lost four of their last five league matches come together at the Head in the Game Park on Friday night when the host club Drogheda United face Sligo Rovers.

The Boynesiders stopped a four-game losing sequence in the league in their last outing and it will have been a very sweet victory as they overcame local rivals Dundalk 2-1 in the County Louth derby at Oriel Park.

Their poor form through July and August, which included an FAI Cup exit at the hands of Derry City, was arrested when they turned on the style to beat their local rivals with both goals from Mark Doyle.

Doyle’s first goal was a fine individual effort when he beat three Dundalk defenders in the box before slotting the ball into the corner of the net.

The second goal came from an inch perfect cross from full back Conor Kane which Doyle was on the end of to power a header past Abibi in the Dundalk goal.

Tim Clancy’s team will be buoyed by that return to form and they will be looking to build on that when the face a very much out of form Sligo Rovers on Friday night.

SLIGO ROVERS

The last victory for the Bit O’ Red was back on July 3rd in a 1-0 win away to Longford Town and since then they have exited the FAI Cup to Cork City and lost four league games on the trot.

Despite this run of poor league form, they still occupy third place in the league table with a whole cluster of teams, including Friday night’s opponents Drogheda United, hard on their heels in pursuit of one of the coveted top four positions.



New signings Andre Wright (ex-Bohemians and Ayr Utd) and Melvyn Lorenzen (Ugandan International) are eligible to make their first appearances in the game in Drogheda, however they have lost Jordan Gibson who went to Carlisle United earlier this week.

In team news, Shane Blaney is the only confirmed absentee with a foot problem.

Manager Liam Buckley said: “It’s certainly a game we’re looking forward to. We’ve trained well the last two weeks and we’ve adapted the two new players into the group. It was good to have that time but mostly we’ve been looking to play a game again.

“I think we will be judged at the end of the season. We’re in the top three and we have to scrap it out for the next couple of months to stay there. We have a strong squad and we’re in that mix to finish the season well and finish high up the table.

"With the way the table is, every side is looking to get into the top three of four and it will take a fair share of points to be in there, we’re not under any illusions.

“Drogheda have had a tremendous year so far. We drew and were beaten against them so that shows you the difficulty of the game. That said, we are keen to play and it’s going to be a real test for us so we’ll dig in and look for a performance to win the game. That is what we’re looking for.



“We have the two new players (Wright and Lorenzen) who have been with us in the build-up this week. They will only make us stronger for the next 13 games.”

Referee: Rob Harvey

MATCH STATS

Prior to their clash in Drogheda on April 30th, the two sides had not met since 2017 so there is no real form guide for either side coming into this match.

That home game for Drogheda in April resulted in stalemate, a 1-1 draw, while United did pick up all three points when they met in Sligo on June 12th. 

In the latter match, Shane Blaney scored for Sligo while a Chris Lyons double gave the visitors the win.

BETTING

Drogheda 2/1; Draw 21/10; Sligo Rovers 13/10

PREDICTION

Drogheda United 2 - 2 Sligo Rovers

Drogheda United

Injured: Hugh Douglas, Chris Lyons, Mark Hughes

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Sligo Rovers:

Injured: Shane Blaney

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

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