Dundalk FC -v- Shamrock Rovers FC

• Keith Wallace
• Mon, Apr 06 2009


Dundalk go in search of their first victory over Shamrock Rovers in almost 12 years when the pair clash at Oriel Park on Tuesday night (kick-off 7.45pm). Not since 26 September 1997 have the Lilywhites defeated Rovers in the league while it’s a further year since the Hoops last left the Louth venue empty-handed.

‘Decent performance’
Dundalk come into the game on a high after securing their first away points of the season with a 3-1 win at Sligo Rovers on Saturday evening after losing three of their opening four games. "We produced a decent performance in Sligo,” said manager Sean Connor, who is set to serve the second of his four-match touchline ban. “We kept our shape well and worked hard. The difference was that we had some luck unlike in some of our other games this season. The win put us on six points and I think we are progressing well as a team.

‘Huge match’
“Shamrock Rovers is another huge match and I am expecting another full house at Oriel Park for this game,” he added. “I am sure that 20 years ago this would have been a top-of-the-table clash and that, like myself here at Dundalk, Michael O'Neill has plans to bring Shamrock Rovers back to the top of Irish football. Rovers are further along the road in that process having re-established themselves in the Premier Division over the past two years. I am expecting a very open game with both sides intent on winning three valuable points.”

Hoops held
Weekend results saw Dundalk leapfrog Rovers into sixth after the Hoops could only salvage a late 2-2 draw at bottom-of-the-table Drogheda United on Friday. “It was obviously a very exciting game for the fans as it could have gone either way,” Hoops boss Michael O’Neill said. “While we were glad to get the late equaliser I also felt we could have won the match. We changed things a little late in the game and it was great to see Padraig Amond come on and score the equaliser for us. It should be a big confidence boost for him.”

History lesson
This will be the first time the sides have met in the Premier Division since January 2002 when Dundalk were on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline at Richmond Park. The Lilywhites’ last competitive win over Rovers came just weeks after that defeat when they fired the form book out the window and sauntered to a 4-0 FAI Cup semi-final win at Oriel Park. It is, however, almost 13 years since the Hoops last lost at the Carrick Road ground in the top flight, 4 October 1996 to be exact, when they went down 4-1.

O’Neill ‘confident’
And O’Neill is determined to keep that record intact. “Traditionally, Oriel Park is a tough place to go and get a win and I’m sure this game will be no different,” he said. “We know that they have some very good players and it will be difficult. But we also know that we can play a bit, and we’ll be going there very confident of getting all three points. Just like in Drogheda, I’d expect a sizeable and noisy away support and that always helps.

Healthy Hoops
“Given that we have such a crowded fixture list at the moment it’s a bonus that we have everyone fit and available,” O’Neill added. “It also helps to add an extra edge to training. This is quite a busy time as between last Friday’s game against Drogheda and next Monday’s at home to Kildare County, we’ll have played four times in 11 days. Having so many games in such a short space of time also means that we’re getting to know a lot more about each other and how the season is shaping up for us.”

Captain doubtful
Dundalk captain Thomas Heary is a doubt for the game through injury after retiring early in the first half in Sligo, while Michael McGinlay is almost certain to miss out after picking up a knock in a friendly with Dungannon Swifts last Tuesday. Declan O’Brien, who missed his first game of the season at the weekend, is also an injury doubt. Rovers, on the other hand, have no such worries and travel up the M1 with a full-strength side.

extratime.ie prediction: Dundalk to win 3-1 again.