BOHEMIANS, ST PATRICK’S Athletic and Derry City are all in action on Friday night in the Airtricity League Premier Division.
Bohs look to build on Sligo win
Bohemians are flying high after they ended Sligo Rovers’ long unbeaten run in the Airtricity Premier Division last week, and they will hope to inflict similar damage when Derry City visit Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Derry sit on top of the league, having gone 11 games unbeaten, on goal difference from Shamrock Rovers.
Keith Buckley misses out for Bohs after suffering a broken nose in the 1-1 friendly draw against Everton, while Stephen Traynor is also out with an ankle injury.
Anto Flood, however, is fit and well and got on the scoresheet against David Moyes’ side.
Knee injury Gareth McGlynn will not be involved for Derry and doubts remain over Kevin Deery and Ruaidhri Higgins.
Bohemians currently lie ten points behind Derry in the table but the Phibsborough side has two games in hand.
Bray out for revenge
Bray Wanderers go into the clash with Dundalk hoping to get revenge for the Louth side’s 5-1 win the last time the two teams met.
The Lilywhites stand two points ahead of Bray in the table going into the match at Oriel Park, having been held to a 2-2 draw by arch rivals Drogheda United in the Louth derby last week.
Dundalk will again be missing Eoghan Osbourne, Stephen McDonnell and Colin Hawkins, the latter of which has a hamstring injury.
For Bray – who cruised to a four-goal win over Galway United last weekend – Gary Dempsey and Kieran Waters are doubtful but recent signing Kevin Knight could start the game after making an impressive substitute appearance last week.
St Pat’s aim to bring it back
St Patrick’s Athletic may have seen their season come unstuck in recent weeks but they are currently only seven points Derry City with a game in hand, and they will look to bounce back with victory over Drogheda United at Richmond Park.
Mick Cooke’s side has improved throughout the season and he has added stability to what was an ailing club, while Pete Mahon’s men have suffered for their European exploits and player unrest.
The Saints, however, welcome both goalkeeper Gary Rogers and Shane McFaul back from suspension, with Sean O’Connor the only doubt with a calf strain.
Jack Flynn, Colm O’Brien and Peter McMahon are out for Drogheda because of injury but Cooke will still hope that his side can move up to eighth in the table, something they will be able to achieve if they can avoid defeat.
Good piece and great to see him doing so well, Munster are certainly in the upper tier of teams in Europe and a real handful at home but the crunch needed against the power teams in a semi or final they are a bit away. This new setup will take time and will have its down days but with the right acquisitions and leadership they could be there in a couple of years.
@mrbryanrussell: What Munster have been missing from the past 8 years is what it is needed to win a Champions cup/ Heinekin Cup – a world class 7 and world class 10. Unfortunately Munster have have just a series of bad luck in this department – constant injuries to TOD, Bleyendaal and now Cloete and Carbery have knocked their season and when you’re relying on 2nd and 3rd choice players in these positions it is highly unlikely you will make it all the way to the final in May.
There’s always a reaction when Munster don’t do well, especially from certain quarters within and outside rugby who like to twist the knife when they get the opportunity.
However Munster are still not far off making a breakthrough but there are a few things needed for that to happen in my opinion.
The new coaching staff and shift in playing style needs to bed in.
We desperately need some players of the right quality to come through the academy. When I say “the right quality” I don’t mean simply international quality but players made out of the same stuff as Clohessy, Galway, Foley, Quinlan, Stringer, ROG etc.
Players who are 100% Munster and would see pulling on the red jersey (of Munster!!) as the greatest honour imaginable.
It might be a big ask now that we’re so removed from the amateur era but a couple of players like that would be gold dust.
We need to shift away from the notion that the HC is the only thing that matters. Too many times in recent years we’ve shot ourselves in the foot by putting ourselves in a poor position in the Pro14 by going after a European Cup we were never likely to win.
Build towards making ourselves as good as anyone in the league, win it and evolve from there.
We need to ensure that any players that are brought in from outside, either IQ or not, are of the required quality and willing to give 100% to Munster.
And probably above all else we need a bit of luck, especially with injuries.