Dundalk vs Kildare County

Leaders Dundalk will move six points clear at the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division table if they can overcome bottom-of-the-table Kildare County at Oriel Park this Thursday evening (kick-off 7.45pm). The Lilywhites have faltered in the past fortnight and are now winless in two games since defeating second-placed Waterford United in their last home outing last month.

That win over the Blues shot Dundalk five points ahead of their nearest rivals. However, in the two subsequent away games, John Gill’s men have taken only one point from a possible six and now lead the standings by just three points, with Waterford holding a game in hand. Following a bad loss in Limerick two weeks ago, the Lilywhites looked to be coasting back to winning ways in Athlone last Monday night when they took a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. However, they were left stunned by the end, as Noel McGee struck twice to gain the midlanders a well deserved point.

Now bidding to get back on track, however, Dundalk would seem to have a perfect opportunity here, against a team that is only one of two that the Louth club still hold a 100% record against this term. Kildare are also the team which upon the Lilywhites inflicted their biggest win of the season to date, as the Thoroughbreds were on the end of a 6-0 thumping the last time they visited the border venue back in May. The sides have since met in Kildare, in mid-July, when goals from Paul Crowley and Jamie Duffy helped Dundalk to a narrow win and a precious three points.

And, Dundalk central defender Ben Whelehan, who played for Kildare during their first two seasons in League of Ireland football, has declared that nothing less than victory here will suffice for his side. “At least we’re back at home, for what is really going to be a massive game,” Whelehan penned for a piece in Thursday’s DFC Matchday Magazine. “We’ve got to win this. If we don’t win, it will be a setback. We’ve had a couple of days to recover after Athlone, so, hopefully, we can go out now and get three points.”

On recent results, the 29-year-old added that such blips were always going to occur. “This league is going to go down to the final day of the season,” he wrote. “It’s not all doom and gloom at the minute. These things happen throughout a season. It’s not all a bed of roses. There’s going to be ups and downs, so you just have to stick at it and hopefully put it right.”

Dundalk will be without their joint-top goalscorer in all competitions, central midfielder Paul Crowley, who must sit this one out because of a one-match suspension incurred as a result of accumulating four penalty points. His absence should see the return of Paul Shiels to the starting line-up. On the plus side, John Gill could be boosted by the return of long-term injury victims, striking pair Robbie Martin and Robbie Farrell, and centre-half Aidan Lynch. Martin (knee) and Lynch (calf) have not appeared since the last time these teams met in July, while Farrell (knee) has been struggling for fitness since May. Young forward Tiarnán Mulvenna, meanwhile, has returned to training this week, while it is hoped that goalkeeper Chris Bennion and winger Derek Doyle will recover from knocks picked up in Athlone on Monday.

Extratime.ie Prediction:33 points separate these two sides. The records this season are almost exact opposites. The odds on this game are reflect this. Dundalk at 2-7, a draw 7-2 and Kildare are at 8-1. We here at Extratime.ie can’t see Kildare pulling off a shock here. We think Dundalk will win this by 3-0 at 13-2.