Sligo Rovers -v- Dundalk

• Keith Wallace
• Sat, Aug 08 2009


Former Sligo Rovers striker Darren Mansaram knows that Dundalk will face a “difficult” task when they travel to the Showgrounds this Saturday evening (kick-off 7.45pm) as the Lilywhites look to get back on the winning trail after last week’s disappointing defeat at Saint Patrick’s Athletic.

The 25-year-old English-born forward scored seven league goals during his only season at Sligo in 2006, but he says that he is not relishing a return to the west, despite netting on the side’s last visit to the Bit O’ Red back in April. “I liked playing there when I was with them,” Mansaram told dundalkfc.com, “but I don’t like going there so much since I left. It’s always difficult to go to Sligo. Even when I was at Bohs last year, we knew it was going to be difficult. We know what to expect. Sligo are a decent team and I think they’re probably in a false position in the league.” For the match, Dundalk will again be without midfielder Michael Daly, who is suspended for the second week running after incurring an additional one-match ban for his red card against Bohemians last month. However, defender Shaun Kelly returns from suspension which should leave the border outfit with a near full-strength squad.

The 1-0 loss to St. Pat’s was Dundalk’s first on the road in two months and ended a two-game winning streak for Sean Connor’s men. However, it only continued their dismal record against the Saints and Dublin clubs as it was their ninth straight defeat to both. Still, the Lilywhites have won six out of their last eight games and they have won on their last two visits to the Showgrounds, most recently four months ago when goals from Mansaram, Liam Burns and Chris Turner gave them a 3-1 win. Contrastingly, Sligo’s only victory since winning 2-0 at Oriel Park in May came against St. Pat’s a fortnight ago when strikes from recent signings Eoin Doyle and Matthew Blinkhorn gave Paul Cook’s side a 2-0 home win.

In an ever-extending stat, Dundalk have now not been involved in a goalless game in the league in exactly one year. Their last 0-0 draw came against Sporting Fingal at the Morton Stadium on 8 August last year (35 games ago) while their last such result in any competition came a week after that against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds (38 games ago). It is also six visits and over six years since Dundalk recorded a draw at the Showgrounds, that stalemate coming when the sides played out a scoreless game on 14 June 2003.

Sligo Rovers will be without the services of Danny Ventre and Martin Camano, both of whom are suspended. Gavin Peers has aggravated his thigh injury in training and could be out for up to four weeks. Also on the injury table are Stephen Parkhouse and Ger Raffter(groin). Richie Ryan, who made a return in Monday night’s EA Sports Cup semi-final is facing a late fitness test and is a major doubt.