Dundalk -v- St Patrick's Athletic

DUNDALK

After their opening weekend draw against Monaghan United, Dundalk will be hoping to build on that result with a victory in their first home match of the season. A tricky game which manager Seán McCaffrey feels that his players were ‘magnificent’ while he also feels his team have the quality to upset Pat’s.

“I don’t think they could be faulted on anything last Friday, in terms of their effort, their creativity, their invention or their confidence. Hopefully, it has answered the Dundalk supporters’ question of ‘will the players put in effort?’.I thought the effort was magnificent, and we’ll bring that into this weekend. It will be a different type of match to Monaghan,” McCaffrey said. “St. Pat’s are a star-studded outfit and an expensive outfit. It will be very interesting. We have the quality and individual talent in the squad to beat anybody. That’s my honest opinion.”

If Dundalk are to beat the Inchicore side then they will have to do so without captain Chris Shields who misses out once more due to a jarred knee. Shields is ruled out along with Eoghan Osbourne and Mark Griffin. The Lilywhites do have doubts over Michael Rafter(ankle), Nathan Murphy(hamstring) and Paul Walsh(thigh). McCaffrey will no doubt the trio every chance to prove their fitness while it is also likely that some of the under-19’s will be included in the squad.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC

St Pat’s make the trip to Oriel after a solid home win against Bray Wanderers last Friday evening. With a new squad assembled under a new management team, Pat’s will be delighted to get through the opening game with a victory and will be hoping that their squad progresses well throughout the season. Manager Liam Buckley feels it is important to pick up points early on in the campaign even though his side are still improving.

“Dundalk have got a lot of new bodies in and young players in their team like ourselves, so it will be a tough test” he said. “It’s important we go there and pick up something. They have got a draw against Monaghan so they are on the board. It’s going to be a very tight and competitive league. We want to get points while we’re improving. We want to get any sort of result up there (Oriel). You don’t want to have a bad start to the league so it is important we get a result.”

Making the journey up the M1 the Saints will be without the suspended pair of Jake Kelly and Christy Fagan. Aidan Price is more than likely set to miss out as he recovers from injury though Greg Bolger is likely to return after suspension against his former club, the Inchicore club should be at full strength as they look to extend their good form at the border venue.

Referee: Paul McLoughlin (Monaghan)

MATCH STATS
Dundalk will be looking for their first home victory against Pat’s since their last win all the way back in November 1998. Incidentally Liam Buckley was also manager that day.

Pat’s have won their last four meetings between the sides at Oriel Park. (3 league and one FAI Cup tie). The last time the Lilywhites picked up anything against the Saints at home was a 0-0 draw in March 2010.

Pat’s are looking for their eighth win in ten games against Dundalk and fourth in the last five meetings.

Liam Buckley will be aiming for his seventh win out of twelve as a manager against Dundalk since his first spell as manager in 1998. Two wins with Pats and four wins with Sporting Fingal.

 

BETTING

Dundalk 2/1; Draw-21/10; St. Pat’s-11/8.

 

PREDICTION

With two new squads assembled and both sides still finding their feet, it is difficult to separate them at this stage of the season. Despite Pat’s looking superior on paper, both teams play a similar game and the Lilywhites home advantage should secure them a draw. 1-1.

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