Dundalk -v- Bohemians

• Gareth Penrose
• Fri, Aug 20 2010


Dundalk welcome Bohemians to Oriel Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm) hoping to win their first league game since the 5th July when they defeated local rivals Drogheda United. Since then they have only managed two points from 18. Bohemians come into the game on the back of an encouraging 2-0 win against Bray Wanderers having lost to Galway and Shamrock Rovers already this month.

Dundalk manager Ian Foster welcomes back goalkeeper Paul Murphy after being cup-tied while captain Liam Burns faces a fitness test after suffering a heavy knock in Monaghan on Tuesday. Tom Miller is suspended for the game. Otherwise Ian Foster has a full-strength squad to choose from.

Having made five changes to the starting line-up for the Bray match, Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon does not expect to be making further changes for Friday unless fitness tests rule out Raffaele Cretaro, Ken Oman and Brian Shelley, all of whom are carrying knocks. Steven Gray and Anto Murphy remain sidelined through long-term injuries.

Fenlon was pleased with the team's performance against Bray, particularly in the first half. He believes he is closer to identifying why the team has not secured victories when it has dominated matches. "There are still a few things we have to put right. We have to keep the players focused on the job of winning football matches. We got the points on Tuesday and we have to make sure of them on Friday."

But Fenlon warns that "it's never easy going to Oriel, we’ve had some tough games against them over the last few years and it’ll be no different on Friday.” Bohs have met Dundalk twice in the league this season, losing 1-0 in Oriel Park but being comprehensive 3-0 winners in Dalymount Park.

Venue: Oriel Park
paddypower.com odds: Dundalk 11/4, Draw 9/4, Bohemians 5/6
Referee: D. Tomney

Dundalk:Injured: None
Suspended: Tom Miller
Doubtful: Liam Burns

BohemiansInjured: Steven Gray, Anto Murphy
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Raffaele Cretaro, Ken Oman and Brian Shelley

extratime.ie prediction: 1-2