Dundalk -v- Galway United

• Emmet Maloney
• Thu, May 13 2010


Galway United travel coast to coast for this Airtricity Premier Division clash with Dundalk. It also brings both managers back to face their old clubs as well as a clutch of players potentially facing their old employers. (kick off 7.45pm)

Foster Expects
Ian Foster was in confident mood ahead of the game as he spoke exclusively to Extratime. “I’m looking forward to it, there’s only a couple of games tomorrow so it’s an opportunity to go back to the top. We’re at home and I fancy us against anybody at home. Having said that I know how difficult it will be, it should be a good game”.

The Lilywhites had to make several changes in midweek for the EA Sports Cup game and doubts still exist over all of those players who missed the game. Stephen Maher will also be absent as he sits out the game through suspension. Dundalk top scorer Garry Breen will hope to return to the team to face his old team mates.

A Sort of Homecoming for Connor
This will be the first time that Sean Connor has brought his team back to Oriel since he left at the end of last season. He is expecting a warm welcome and might feel that he played some role in laying the foundation in Dundalk’s fine start to this season, as he exclusively told Extratime.

“I’m looking forward to going back, although I was only there a year, it was a successful year. We kept the club up and at the end of the year they ended up in Europe. I always had a good rapport with the fans, the reason I left was nothing to do with the fans, they’re probably some of the best fans around.” Connor is under no illusions as to the difficulty of the task facing his team. “It will be difficult, they’re a good side but you know we’ve had a week of rest so hopefully we’ll be fresh.” The Galway boss will have an in depth knowledge of many of his opponents on Friday.

“Peter Cherrie, Shaun Kelly and Liam Burns were all brought to the club by me and they’re the defensive backbone of the club right now. Neale Fenn played for me at Bohemians and Fahrudin Kudozovic I brought into the league as well at Sligo.” Several members of the Tribesmen team will be returning to familiar ground with Thomas Heary, Anthony Flood and James Creaney all having played for Dundalk in recent times.

History Points to Home Win
Oriel Park is not a happy hunting ground for Galway and Dundalk have won 8 of the last 11 meetings between the teams, you have to go back to 2005 for their last victory at Oriel. But Dundalk can take nothing for granted as Pat Fenlon’s Bohs would no doubt tell them.

Venue : Oriel Park, Dundalk

Paddypower.com Odds: Dundalk 8/13, Draw 9/4, Galway United 9/2

Dundalk:
Suspended: Stephen Maher
Injured: None
Doubtful: Liam Burns (abdominal strain), Garry Breen (calf ), JJ Melligan (calf), Tom Miller (back)

Galway United:
Suspended: Stephen O’Donnell
Injured: Jason Molloy (), Derek O’Brien (abdominal injury)
Doubtful: None

Extratime.ie Prediction: 3-1 to Dundalk although if all of their absentees do not make the kick off that may be optimistic.