PREVIEW: DUNDALK FC V BOHEMIANS
Dundalk are entering the last chance saloon in their fight to avoid relegation from the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, with a must-win feel to Friday’s clash with eighth-placed Bohemians at Oriel Park.
The Lilywhites, rooted to the bottom of the table, five points adrift of County Louth rivals Drogheda United with just five games remaining, come into this on the back of a frustrating streak of four straight one-goal defeats.
Since exiting the FAI Cup in Drogheda in July, Jon Daly’s men have taken just two points from the 21 available in the league, through draws at Bohs and Derry City, having thrown away half-time leads in three of their last five outings, going on to lose two of those.
Dundalk had shown improved form before the mid-season break, bagging three wins in six. However, since returning in late June, they have only one victory and eight defeats in 11 games in all competitions, a poor run which includes losing their last three at Oriel.
Their last home match, three weeks ago in a rearranged Thursday night fixture, saw them lead Saint Patrick’s Athletic through Eoin Kenny’s second-minute header but they came away with nothing after conceding second-half goals from Tom Grivosti and Mason Melia.
Daly’s side have been on the road for their past two games, losing 2-1 at both Waterford and Sligo Rovers. Those losses came in very different ways, with an at times excellent performance at The Showgrounds last Saturday ultimately ending in a heartbreaking defeat.
Dundalk had led through Robbie Benson’s 24th-minute penalty in a dominant first-half display but threw away the three points as Wilson Waweru’s header and Ellis Chapman’s spot-kick – coming from a foul for which Hayden Cann was sent off – saw Sligo come out on top.
The Lilywhites had been roared on in the West by a loud away support, who were denied late cheer after Norman Garbett’s injury-time header was somehow kept out by Ed McGinty, and the club has called for another very vocal backing this Friday in their third-last home match.
Dundalk have only title-chasing Derry and Shamrock Rovers left to play at Oriel after Bohs. But, with Drogheda getting positive results in six of their last seven games since losing on the Carrick Road on July 12th, Daly’s players must pick up points over the next week to ensure that they are still in the hunt come those late October fixtures.
Dundalk’s very first win of the season came against Bohemians at the 12th attempt back on April 26th in what was Noel King’s first match in charge. They had opened the campaign with five draws and six losses but stunning first-half strikes from Scott High and Benson that evening saw them run out 2-0 winners.
That is one of just five wins in their 31 league games to date but they will hope to repeat that trick here to close the gap on ninth-placed Drogheda, who welcome Derry to Boyneside on Friday, with Dundalk aiming to be back to within two points of their neighbours by full-time.
Dundalk’s other two league meetings with Bohs this campaign, both in the capital, ended in a late 1-0 loss in mid-April and a 1-1 draw in late July where Daryl Horgan quickly cancelled out Ross Tierney’s first-half opener at Dalymount Park.
While Dundalk have Bohs (H), Galway United (A), Derry (H) and Shamrock Rovers (H) before their final-day trip to Drogheda, Kevin Doherty’s side face Derry (H), Waterford (A), Shamrock Rovers (H) and Shelbourne (A).
Drogheda still have Bohs in their sights in their unlikely bid to escape from the bottom two. Bohs are currently four points clear of the Boynesiders with a game in hand but have won just two of their 19 Premier Division games since losing in Oriel five months ago.
The Gypsies – who have a familiar duo to Dundalk in their dugout in Alan Reynolds and Stephen O’Donnell – have beaten only Sligo away and Shamrock Rovers at home in that period, with eight draws and nine defeats in their other 17 outings.
Bohs suffered 1-0 defeats last Friday and Monday. The first was a costly one for Dundalk as Drogheda recorded their first away league win of 2024 at the 16th attempt at Dalymount Park before the Phibsborough outfit were undone late on against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght on Monday.
Before that, narrow loss in South Dublin, FAI Cup semi-finalists Bohs had drawn four consecutive games on the road, and the same result here would keep them nine points clear of Dundalk going into the final weeks of the season where they take on Derry (A), St Pat’s (H), Sligo (A), Waterford (A) and Galway (H).
Bohs are looking for a first win at Oriel since April 2021 when ex-Lilywhite Georgie Kelly’s 12th-minute penalty was the only goal of the game.
Team News
Mayowa Animasahun returns to the squad but Hayden Cann is suspended after his red card against Sligo Rovers last week.
Match Officials
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan
Assistants: Eoin Harte and Richard Storey
Fourth Official: Gavin Colfer
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