PREVIEW: DUNDALK FC V ST PAT’S ATHLETIC

Dundalk are targeting a first win in eight weeks against a Saint Patrick’s Athletic side without an away top-flight win in almost seven months when the two clash in a rearranged SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match at Oriel Park on Thursday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

This fixture was controversially called off 46 hours before it was due to take place last Sunday week, a call made by FAI bosses to aid Stephen Kenny’s Saints in their bid – which failed – to qualify for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.

That left Dundalk without a game in three weeks but they returned to action with a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home by title chasers Shelbourne last Friday, where they gifted Aiden O’Brien a fourth-minute goal as the Reds returned to the top of the table.

Jon Daly’s men showed improvement in the second half against Shels and hit the post through substitute Ryan O’Kane, but the outcome means they have won just once – against relegation rivals Drogheda United on July 12th – in eight games in all competitions since returning from the midseason break in late June.

The Lilywhites had earlier this season set a new club record for consecutive clean sheets at Oriel Park, rattling off eight on the spin between March and the final game before the break. However, since that win over Sligo Rovers, they have lost three of their last four on the Carrick Road.

Goals continue to be a problem for Daly’s side, who failed to score in any of those three defeats, but they could be boosted by Jad Hakiki – who netted in that victory over Drogheda – as he is available for selection once again having missed the match with Shels due to the terms of his July transfer.

Dundalk have scored just 19 goals in their 28 league games this season and have only netted in four of their 14 games at Oriel Park. Despite that, they have collected 17 points at home from their total of 24 and they will need to make the most of their four remaining games in North Louth.

Dundalk trail Drogheda by one point, and two goals, at the bottom of the table but Thursday night is the Lilywhites’ game in hand on their local rivals and a chance to regain ninth spot. Indeed, Dundalk will play twice before Drogheda are next in league action due to the Boynesiders’ FAI Cup progress.

Seventh-placed St Pat’s, meanwhile, still have outside hopes of qualifying for Europe next season, which may well require a top-three finish. But they have not won away in the league since the opening day of the season on February 16th when Jamie Lennon’s third-minute goal earned them a 1-0 victory in Galway under Daly.

In their 12 games on the road since then, they have drawn six and lost six, although four of those draws have come in their last five trips, losing only narrowly to Waterford in that period. The Saints’ form at Richmond Park has just about kept them in the race for Europe, with 26 of their 35 points coming at home.

Dundalk, though, recorded their sole away win of the season in Inchicore back on the June Bank Holiday when an early blitz was enough to see them over the line 3-2, a success which will give them confidence going into this week. Subsequently, Kenny’s side have lost just one in seven in the Premier Division.

St Pat’s did Dundalk a huge favour on Sunday with a 4-1 win over Drogheda in the capital, where a 29th-minute red card for Luke Heeney – who was also sent off at Oriel this year – proved costly, with Chris Forrester’s resulting penalty added to by a double from Jake Mulraney and a fine injury-time strike from youngster Mason Melia.

That eased any fears for Kenny – who will on Thursday return to Dundalk as a manager for the first time since departing in late 2018 after a trophy-laden spell – that his team may be dragged into a battle at the bottom, with their eyes instead focusing in on Shamrock Rovers four points above them in sixth.

Along with Bohemians’ win over Rovers on Sunday, it now looks like a straight shootout between the two Louth clubs to avoid the automatic relegation spot, with the pair hoping to put themselves in a strong position to do just that before the final day of the season when they do battle on the Boyne.

Quotes – Jon Daly
“We had a week’s prep on St Pat’s before the game was postponed so we have just added to that.

“We’ll probably face a stronger Pat’s than we would have done last week but we’ll have the belief of getting something out of it.

“We know their strengths and weaknesses. They’re a good group and we saw in Europe how good they can be.

“I still believe that we can win eight games. We haven’t won two games back to back all season but I still think we can when I look at the league and our team but they have to take it by the scruff of the neck and they have to realise that it’s not just going to happen for them, they need to actually step up and make things happen.

“We need to deliver that for 95 minutes plus.”

Quotes – Andy Boyle
“Last week was a devastating result for us. The way we started killed us in the game. That made it difficult for us and I think, overall, in the first half we weren’t good enough.

“I thought we showed a bit of fight in the second half, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. We had prepared well all week and the goal is very self-explanatory if you see it.

“We’re saying this most weeks now, but we’ve got to go on, we’ve got to dust ourselves down. We’ve got eight games left and it has got to start now. It’s a big game for us on Thursday night.

“There’s big belief that we can get out of the position we’re in, but we’ve got to put in a 90-minute performance to get a positive result. We’re aiming for three points. We can’t be playing in fits and starts. It’s a 90-minute game and that is what is going to get us points on the board.”

Match Officials
Referee: Damien MacGraith
Assistants: Wayne McDonnell and Conor Harkin
Fourth Official: Oliver Moran

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