Dundalk -v- Bohemians

• Emmet Maloney
• Thu, Apr 22 2010


Reigning Premier Division champions Bohemians make the trip to Oriel Park to face Dundalk hoping to put consecutive league defeats behind them.

As the first series of league games comes to a close Pat Fenlon brings his defending champions to Oriel Park for this game, but things aren’t running smoothly for Bohemians so far this season. Alternately Ian Foster will be odds on for freedom of the city if Dundalk keep up their very encouraging start to things.

Table toppers
Dundalk come into the game after a deserved victory at Fosters old stamping ground of Terryland Park last game out. Ross Gaynor notched his second goal of the season to win the game and his fine form this season has been a major factor in the Lilywhite’s rise to the upper reaches of the table. If they can better St. Pats result against Sligo Rovers they will summit the league again.

The Galway win of course followed a 2-1 reverse at Sporting Fingal the previous game which brought their unbeaten league run to an end. The Dundalk boys aren’t weren’t too upset by the defeat as young midfielder Tom Miller told the club website "In a way, it's kind of a weight off our shoulders now that that unbeaten run is gone," Tom said. "Even though we were obviously disappointed, we didn't get too down because we knew that we had another game on Monday; we kept our heads up, worked hard and went out to win in Galway."

Fenlon hoping for upturn
Bohemians face the trip on the back of a four game non winning league streak with two draws followed by two defeats. They did manage to gain a 1-0 away victory at Linfield last time out in the Setanta Cup.

Fenlon will be hoping that the clean sheet is a sign of an upturn in their fortunes, as he told the clubs website “We defended really well against Linfield and that is what we haven't been doing as a team over the last number of weeks. This was exactly what was required. It showed what we can do as a team,"

Goals have been proving hard to come by lately with ten so far in the league but seven of them arrived in the first three games of the season. Before the two goals scored in the defeat by Galway you have to go all the way back to the late demolition of Drogheda to find last time they have scored more than a single goal in a game. However they thoroughly enjoyed all of their trips to Oriel last season and they will hope to carry this with them.

Get ready for 2nd half onslaught
Both teams have proved to be far deadlier in the second half than in the opening period. Bohs have managed ten goals but eight of them have arrived after the half time oranges.

Dundalk are even more lopsided in when they find the net, with only a single successful effort in the first 45 from their 12 league goals so far.

Venue: Oriel Park
Paddypower.com Odds: Dundalk 21/10, Draw 11/5, Bohemians 5/4
Referee: D. McKeon

Dundalk:
Suspended: none
Injured: Alan Cawley (cheek)
Doubtful: none

Bohemians:
Suspended: Rafaele Cretaro, Ken Oman
Injured: none
Doubtful: none

Extratime.ie Prediction: 2-1 a close affair but with the home side taking advantage of the visitors suspensions late on.