Dundalk -v- Limerick
Credit:
DUNDALK
Dundalk come into their home meeting with Limerick on the back of impressive league form having won three successive games in Dublin for the first time in 20 years. Stephen Kenny has certainly revitalised the club and will be hoping to move them into second place with a win should other results go their way. Last time out, they put in arguably their best performance of the season to beat St Patrick’s at Richmond Park through goals from John Dillon and Kurtis Byrne.
The Lilywhites are looking for their first win of the season at Oriel Park although their Louth derby draw against Drogheda United last week may have felt like a victory given that they battled back from 2-0 down in the closing stages to earn a share of the points. They are five points better off now than they were at this same stage of last season.
Captain Stephen O’Donnell is close to a return to full fitness but although he is back in training, may not feature in this one. Midfielder John Moutney picked up a head injury in the victory in Inchicore earlier in the week but he is available to feature against Limerick while Kenny has no suspension worries.
The manager is hoping that the side can carry over their impressive form and performance from Monday night in a game where he was very pleased with his players’ display.
“We still have a bit to learn but that was a good performance and I felt we were excellent in the first half,” said Kenny. “We were excellent in the first half, our best first half of the season. We were fluid and had a lot of the ball while in the second half it was really backs to the wall but we managed to see it out and I am delighted with that.”
The former Derry City boss is now hoping that his side can get a win on the board, which he feels they have deserved, but is not anticipating an easy time of it against an in-form Blues side.
He continued: “Our away form has been outstanding and our performances at home have been very good but we just haven’t got the results I feel we have deserved at Oriel Park.
“Limerick are a good team though because I went to see them last weekend against Pat’s and I thought they were excellent. They have a good manager, a formidable squad of full-time professionals so we know we are going to have to be on our game if we are to get anything out of this game,” he added.
“All of the games are tough but Limerick are a very good side technically so we are looking forward to the test.”
LIMERICK
Limerick will be looking to build on their impressive start to the season with a victory against high-flying Dundalk at Oriel Park. They are currently sitting comfortably in mid-table and eyeing a potential European spot for the season despite being new boys to the division.
Lims have lost just twice all season, with one of those defeats coming against table-topping Sligo Rovers, and earlier in this week achieved an impressive draw against early season favourites for the title Shamrock Rovers and will undoubtedly be in confident mood coming into this one.
Manager Stuart Taylor also has no injuries or suspensions to worry about coming into this one as only Robbie Williams should miss out as this game will have come too early for him, the defender having only returned to training this week.
Taylor is anticipating a tough test in the north east against a side who he knows well and who he has been impressed by in the early weeks of the new season. “We have another tough game on Friday night against Dundalk.
“They have had an excellent start to the season and their manager Stephen Kenny has them playing good football,” the Scotsman continued. “I know a lot of the Dundalk team and they are a very strong unit so we will need to be at our best to get a result but we are really looking forward to the challenge.”
Referee: Derek Tomney.
MATCH STATS
This is the first top flight meeting between these sides in almost 20 years. They last met on March 24th 1994 when Dundalk ran out 2-0 winners in Louth.
Limerick have lost only one of their last five against Dundalk, and are on a three game winning run in matches between these clubs.
Should the home side fail to win, it will be the first time since the 1997/98 campaign where they have failed to record a victory at Oriel in any of the first four games.
BETTING
Dundalk 13/10 Draw 9/4 Limerick 19/10
PREDICTION
An exciting clash between two free-flowing sides, Dundalk 2-1 Limerick
Dundalk
Injuries: Stephen O’Donnell
Suspensions: None
Limerick
Injuries: Robbie Williams
Suspensions: None.
