League Preview: Bohemians -v- Drogheda United

• Patrick O'Connor
• Fri, Sep 20 2024




BOHEMIANS

Bohs can put clear daylight between themselves and fellow relegation contenders Drogheda United when the two sides meet at Dalymount Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

There is currently an eight-point gap between Bohs and Drogheda who occupy eighth and ninth place respectively in the table, so a win for the home side should finally remove any doubts about their participation in the top tier in the 2025 season.

An eleven-point gap should allow the Gypsies to play out their remaining seven games in relative comfort but also to concentrate their energies on their forthcoming home FAI Cup semi-final against Derry City on October 4^th.

They approach this Drogheda game in great form, being unbeaten in their last five games, two in the FAI Cup and three in the league.

They had a more than comfortable 4-0 win over First Division UCD in the cup last weekend, having struggled to overcome Kerry FC in the previous round of the competition.

They also drew with Shelbourne twice and beat Shamrock Rovers in the league, so they should be brimming with confidence with they face the Boynesiders this weekend.

Manager Alan Reynolds spoke to the Bohemians media team this week and he said: “For me this is the biggest game of the season so far and that’s how we have approached it all week.

“Drogheda have shown what they are capable of in the last while. They’re in the semi-finals of the cup, have had some really good and have scored a lot of goals in the process. They have good players and they have a system that works really well for them.

“So, this is a massive game for us to see where we are. We have had some really good performances ourselves over the past number of weeks but we are striving to improve furthest sill.

“You can’t have a good few weeks and be content with that. We have to keep improving, we have to keep striving to turn those draws into wins.”

DROGHEDA UNITED

The Boynesiders have been in relegation territory since the start of this season and that predicament is not going to change as they have only six games remaining in their league programme up to the end of the season on November 1^st.

Their very poor away record of not having won a single game on the road all season is the principal contributor to their lowly position in the table.

Three of their remaining games are away from home, starting with the short trip to Dalymount Park on Friday night, so the battle with Dundalk to avoid the automatic drop to the First Division is the main goal for Kevin Doherty’s men for the next seven weeks.

They have made great progress in this year’s FAI Cup draw however and beat Athlone Town 4-1 away from home last weekend to secure a home draw in the semi-final on October 6^th against Wexford (kick-off 14:50).

Darragh Markey spoke with Andrew Dempsey of extratime.com at the EA Sports Cup launch this week and he said: “The first half of the season was really disappointing but we've a chance in the last two months. Every game is going to be absolutely crucial for us.

“It's been disappointing at times but we've still got a great chance to make it a really good season at the same time. While the FAI Cup run is great, staying up is first. It has to be. I’d say every player would agree with me on that. 

“Performances have been good of late so we are just focusing on ourselves and hoping the results will come with the good performances. But at the same time, results are crucial. We need to pick them up over the next few weeks with massive games coming up.”

Referee: Robert Harvey

MATCH STATS

Bohs and Drogheda each won their home games against each other earlier this season while the most recent fixture in Weavers Park in early August finished as a 2-2 draw.

That game was notable for the fact that there were two own goals, one for each side.

Ex-Shelbourne player Shane Farrell scored his first goal for the Drogs and another ex- Shelbourne player Dayle Rooney scored a penalty for Bohs. 

Two of the centre backs both scored goals but at the wrong end of the pitch, Cian Byrne for Bohs and James Bolger for Drogheda Utd.

BETTING

Bohemians 8/13; Draw14/5; Drogheda United 7/2

PREDICTION

2-1 home win

Bohemians  

Injured: Rob Cornwall, Keith Buckley, Adam McDonnell, James McManus, Filip Piszczek

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Drogheda United

Injured: Zishim Bawa

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Derry City’s Ben Doherty wants to build on ‘massive’ FAI Cup win over Shelbourne https://t.co/v3QYTnTmcdpic.twitter.com/GjNvpCn7ML

— extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) September 20, 2024