Drogheda United -v- Sligo Rovers

• Gareth Penrose
• Fri, Jul 23 2010


Sligo Rovers will be looking to return to winning ways when they travel across the country to take on ninth placed Drogheda United in United Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

Drogheda United go into this game on the back of a morale boosting win over 4th placed Sporting Fingal on Monday night. Drogheda fell behind to the Ravens after 19 minutes, but goals at the end of both halves from Peter McMahon and Alan McNally gave the Louth side a valuable three points in the race to avoid a playoff spot.

Manager Brian Donnelly was pleased with the result and believes the drive is in the camp to go on and overtake Galway United in 8th place.

“It was a great result last week, but we can’t get carried away with it, from being around the lads now I expect no less of a performance, there is a great bond in this team and they are capable of a lot more. We still believe that we can catch Galway.”

Donnelly will have to plan without the suspended Eoghan Osborne and Damien Brennan, who where both red carded against Fingal (Brennan sent off from the bench). Brendan McGill, Paul Crowley and Jamie Harris are out injured.

Sligo Rovers faced Bohemians last Friday and lost 2-0 in Dalymount. Mauro Almeida is the only absentee for Sligo Rovers. Almeida injured his Achillies against St Patrick’s Athletic earlier in the season and continues to recover from surgery.

A welcome return sees Matthew Blinkhorn fit after a back injury kept the striker on the sidelines for ten weeks. The Bit o' Red have no other suspension or injury worries.

Rovers beat Drogheda 6-0 in The Showgrounds earlier this season but the meeting in Louth proved a much closer affair, ending 2-2.

Drogheda United
Injured: Brendan McGill, Paul Crowley and Jamie Harris
Suspended: Eoghan Osborne and Damien Brennan

Sligo Rovers
Injured: Mauro Almeida

Referee: D. Hanney

Prediction: Sligo to bounce back with the return of Blinkhorn and narrowly beat the Drogs by a goal. 2-1.