Latest Team News - Week 1

Wexford Youths

Conor Sinnott and Paul Murphy are both doubtful with groin strains. Other than that, Wexford have a full squad to choose from.

Galway United

Stephen O'Flynn, Ciaran Foley and Alan Keane all miss out due to injury. John Fitzgerald is fit to start. Local youngsters Seamus Conneely and Jonathan Keane have been added to the 18 man squad.

Athlone Town

Going into the match with Kildare County, Manager Dermot Lennon has injury doubts over Davy Byrne knee and Levi Tierney ankle will have fittest test before the game.

St Patrick's Athletic

St Patrick’s Athletic kick off the their 2008 eircom LOI season on Friday night against Sligo Rovers at Richmond Park with several of their new signings expected to start, including Joe O’Cearuill, Jamie Harris, Gary Dempsey, Damien Lynch and Bobby Ryan.

Dave Partridge, Dessie Byrne and Joseph Ndo have missed recent pre-season games through injury but are back in contention tomorrow having trained fully in recent days. Stephen Paisley misses the game through a suspension carried over from last season.

Shamrock Rovers

Apart from long-term injuries to Aidan Price and Padraig Amond, Rovers will have a full-strength squad available for the opening game of the season against Drogheda United.

UCD

Midfielder Derek Doyle is the only player unavailable for selection for UCD Friday night's clash with Derry City in the UCD Bowl. UCD Manager Pete Mahon said that while Doyle put in a good performance against Monaghan in a recent friendly, it is too soon to bring him back to competitive action.

Defender Ian Bermingham was the sole other worry during the weak as he had a slight foot injury but is fully recovered and is available for selection. No players are suspended.

UCD will field an experienced squad in this encounter with forward Timmy Purcell the only player likely to start that was not a regular last season. Striker Paul Byrne, who missed several games through injury last year, came through the entire pre-season unscathed and is at full fitness.

Waterford United

Suspensions carried forward from last season mean that Gareth Cronin will be without Vinny Sullivan and Robbie Clarke for Friday's encounter.

Cronin has plenty of options available to him as he selects his team with Kevin Waters well capable of slotting into the left back slot while there could also be a start for young Waterford prospect Steven O Shea who has impressed in pre-season.

Drogheda United

Shane Barrett remains sidelined for one more week. . Jason Gavin has a medial ligament strain and is out of contention as is Shaun Maher with an Achilles tendon problem. Captain Declan ‘Fabio’ O’Brien is approaching full fitness. Dan Connor is unavailable, but in Mikko Vilmunen and Jamie Ewings, the Drogs have two very capable ‘keepers.

Finn Harps

Jonathan Minnock looks to be out with a recurring achillies problem.Marc Mukendi could be out for the best part of a month with a groin strain while Gary Beckett picked up a knee injury in training this week and will also miss out.

new signings Aaron Labonte and Stuart Malcolm look set to start in the centre of the Harps defence with Sean Roddy and Shaun Holmes filling the two full back roles. James Gallagher, who kept 21 clean sheets last season, will again wear the number one shirt. In midfield, the pairing of Shaun McGowan and team captain Tony Shields is unlikely to be broken, while another new face Shaun Williams will start on the left wing. It's a pick between Chris Breen and Gerry Gill for the right midfield spot while last season's front two of Stephen Parkhouse and Conor Gethins should start up front.

Shelbourne

The Reds enter this game, against one of their main rivals for promotion without the services of a number of players, missing through injury and suspension.

Mark O'Brien misses out through a one week suspension carried over from the 2007 season. Peter McGlynn is suffering from flu and Steven Doran from a hamstring injury, while Keith Dunne is unlikely to feature as he only returned to training this week following a groin injury.

Alan Keely will have a fitness test before the game having suffered a hamstring injury in the one all draw with Bohemians last Friday night.

Dundalk

Dundalk received good news on the suspension front last week as centre-half Aidan Lynch will not serve his one-match ban until next week's visit of Monaghan United, leaving John Gill with a near fully fit squad to choose from for the trip to Tolka.