Preview: Dundalk vs Athlone Town

• Keith Wallace
• Wed, Jul 02 2008




Third-placed Dundalk will leap to the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division table this Thursday night, if they can defeat Athlone Town by two clear goals at Oriel Park (kick-off 7.45pm). Any kind of victory will put the Lilywhites level at the summit with Shelbourne before the Reds travel to second-placed Waterford United 24 hours later, however, a two-goal win would guarantee that the Louth side will return to second after the weekend’s action.

However, despite this being an ample opportunity for Dundalk to take advantage of their rivals going head-to-head, goalkeeper Chris Bennion admits that he is not concerned about any of his side’s title and promotion opponents. In his ‘From the Dressing Room’ piece for Thursday’s Matchday Magazine, Bennion wrote: “We’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves.

“I’ve said to the lads that we’ve just got to concentrate on and look at our own results. I wouldn’t even bother with Shels. I couldn’t even tell you who they’re playing this week. Shels, Waterford and Sporting Fingal are all there, but, at the end of the day, we just have to focus on Dundalk. I don’t know who anyone else is playing, but the results will take care of themselves.”

Dundalk go into the game on the back of two straight defeats to Waterford and Limerick. However, Bennion has pointed to the good atmosphere within the squad. “In the dressing-room, everything is good,” the 27-year-old writes. “There’s a few bubbly characters, and there’s a great bunch of lads in there. Everyone gets on well and everyone is competitive, and everything is good.

“All of us are biting in training, and we’re not always going to agree with one and other at times, but the mood in the camp is great. It’s probably the best dressing-room I’ve been in since I came up to Dundalk five seasons ago.”

Manager John Gill once again has to contend with suspensions, as he is without defensive duo Ben Whelehan and Shane Grimes, who both miss out through one-match bans as a result of accumulating four yellow cards. On the plus side, playmaker David Cassidy and vice-captain, right-back John Flanagan return from suspensions which they served last week. Continuing with the positives, captain Aidan Lynch has returned to training and the centre-half could be available from the start.

Athlone Town are coming into the game on the back of their second win of the season, which lifted them off the bottom of the First division table.

Assistant manager Tommy Hewitt will once again be in charge on the sideline as Dermot Lennon serves the final game of his touchline ban.

Manager Dermot Lennon can select from virtually a full squad with only Dave O’Dowd (arm) unavailable for selection an injury that will keep him out of football for a minimum of 6 weeks.

The betting going into the game has Dundalk as favourites at 4-9. A draw will get you odds of 11-4, with the bookies giving Athlone Town little chance at 11-2. The Extratime.ie prediction is a win for Dundalk.

The game keeps off at 7:45pm.