Dundalk -v- Shamrock Rovers

• Simon O'Gorman
• Sun, May 01 2011


Dundalk host league leaders Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon hoping to avenge their 3-1 defeat against the Hoops on the opening day of the season. (Kick off, 2pm)

Dundalk have had in inconsistent season so far, pulling up trees in the Setanta Cup where they will meet Shamrock Rovers in the final, but struggling to bring in the league results that would put them up among the challengers.

They have won just three of the nine league games they have played so far and as things stand Dundalk are seventh in the table lying eight points off the top. They have managed just one win in their last four league outings, a 2-1 win at Drogheda United who are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, and while they are unbeaten at home so far, they have won only twice at Oriel Park in the league.

Defeat at Monaghan United in the EA Sports Cup last Monday will not have improved manager Ian Foster’s mood. But his main problem is not simply an irregular pattern of results but the unavailability of key players through injury.

Greg Bolger, Stephen Maher and Dean Bennett were all missing from central midfield when Dundalk drew 0-0 with Bray Wanderers at Oriel Park on Friday night and winger Daniel Kearns took ill shortly before the game with pleurisy. Add to that injuries to defenders Shane Guthrie and Eoghan Osborne and it’s easy to see why Dundalk are finding consistency hard to come by.

Commenting on the situation Foster was happy to have gained a point against Bray, commenting “With what we’ve got available, a point at home against the second-best team in the division, on form, is a point gained”. Incredibly Dundalk also lost defender Colin Hawkins and veteran forward Jason Byrne to injury during the game. Hawkins definitely misses out on the Rovers game with both Kearns and Byrne doubtful.

Meanwhile, Michael O’Neill has had his own injury problems to deal with at Shamrock Rovers. Gary Twigg, Craig Sives, Chris Turner and Stephen O’Donnell have all been absent over recent weeks and will also miss Monday’s game. But the Hoops boss has at least got a strong squad to fall back on.

Karl Sheppard has scored in both of Rovers’ most recent outings and got the winner against his former club Galway United at Terryland Park on Friday. Stephen Rice has resumed in central midfield covering the absence of Turner and O’Donnell, while the loss of Craig Sives coincided with the introduction of ex-Bohemians centre back, Ken Oman.

Speaking on Friday’s win Michael O’Neill was happy with his side’s performance. “We played very well in Galway on Friday night, and we’ll be looking to bring that form into this game. We might have only won 1-0 on Friday, but we created plenty of chances, and if we do that against Dundalk, hopefully we’ll get a result.”

Sitting two points clear at the top of the table, O'Neill will be more than happy with the work of his team over the first quarter of the season and, with three wins and two draws from their five away trips in the league, the Rovers boss will be confident of avoiding a repeat of the 5-1 thumping that Dundalk dealt his side at the same venue last season.

Dundalk
Injured: Colin Hawkins, Shane Guthrie, Eoghan Osborne, Greg Bolger, Dean Bennett, Stephen Maher.
Doubtful: Daniel Kearns, Jason Byrne.
Suspended: None.

Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Chris Turner (calf), Gary Twigg, Stephen O’Donnell, Craig Sives (all hamstring).
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

Referee: Derek Tomney.
Paddy Power Odds: Dundalk 3/1; Draw 3/10; Shamrock Rovers 5/6.
Extratime prediction: A 1-0 win for Shamrock Rovers.