[Diomed]

Tonights previews Ireland Premier



Preview: Waterford United v Drogheda United

Bottom side Waterford United entertain second placed Drogheda United at the RSC on Friday night. The Drogs are poised for a title push but another shock win could lift the Blues off the foot of the table.

Drogheda go into the game having lost just one of fifteen games they have played this season. Following St. Pats loss on Thursday night, the Drogs are the only unbeaten side in the division and know that Friday's game is crucial for a couple of reasons. Drogheda can go one point clear at the top of the table with a win in Waterford. Due to the Setanta Sports Cup final, the Drogs then don't play a league game for seventeen days - when they face St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park.

Drogheda suffered a rare setback last weekend as they drew with Cork City 2-2 at United Park. However, their injury crisis has eased ahead of Friday's game.

Glen Fitzpatrick is back after a one game ban saw him miss last week's game with Cork. Striker and club captain Declan O'Brien is also available again after injury as are Brian Shelley and Damien Lynch. Richie Baker, Shane Barrett, Dan Connor, Jason Gavin, Andrew Hageman, James Keddy and Aidan O'Keefe all remain out injured.

Speaking ahead of the game, Waterford boss Gareth Cronin said, "I was very proud of the players and the way they clawed their way back into the game on Saturday. I must say I was worried and it looked bleak having conceded that early goal as well as losing Ray Scully. The second half performance was excellent to a man. The mood has been upbeat in training this week and I am hoping that we can build on that second half performance and get something from this game."

Waterford plan without the suspended Ray Scully after he was sent off against Sligo last week. Stephen Cooling is out injured while John Hayes is struggling with a hamstring problem.

League form for Waterford United : DLLLL
League form for Drogheda United : DWWWW

Previous meeting(s) : Drogheda United 1-0 Waterford United (17/11/2006)
Waterford United 2-3 Drogheda United (18/08/2006)
Drogheda United 4-0 Waterford United (19/05/2006)
Waterford United 1-0 Drogheda United (18/11/2005)
Drogheda United 1-0 Waterford United (19/08/2005)
IrishFootballOnline.com Prediction: Away win.

Preview: Galway United v Derry City

Galway United have climbed to tenth in the Premier Division of the eircom League of Ireland in recent weeks having picked up five points from their last three games. Derry City are the visitors to Terryland Park on Friday night. The Candystripes are just four points ahead of the Tribesmen going into the game and at least one Galway player may be out to prove a point.

Galway striker Stephen O'Flynn was deemed surplus to requirements at the Brandywell when Pat Fenlon took charge in December.

Derry go into the game having won just once in their last ten games and the pressure is undoubtedly mounting on Fenlon. They are already twelve points behind leaders St. Pats and have looked nothing like their formerly impressive selves. The scoreless draw with Bohemians last Friday at least stopped the rot but a home scoreless draw against anyone is scarcely an acceptable result from a side which finished second in two consecutive seasons of league action.

Having scored three of their five league goals to date, the news that former Derry City player Alan Murphy could miss out for the home side is a major worry. The midfielder picked up a calf injury during last week's win and was forced off at half-time. Having received treatment since and not trained all week, the injury has improved slightly. In similar situations, Ciaran Foley and John Russell are doubts with hamstring and thigh injuries having also not trained this week.

Chris Armstrong remains sidelined for four to five months with an achilles injury while Alan Keane's comeback from injury has hit a few stumbling blocks. Manager Tony Cousins can't get Keane back quick enough, "Alan has put in a huge amount of effort and he really deserves to be back playing again, but he has had a setback and the club is doing their best to make sure that the best of medical advice is available to him".

Derry have to again plan without the injured Gary Beckett, Kevin Deery and Alan Moore while defender Darren Kelly is a major doubt with a hip injury.

League form for Galway United : WDDLL
League form for Derry City : DLWLL

Previous meeting(s) : Derry City 2-1 Galway United (26/06/2005)
Galway United 0-1 Derry City (23/07/2004)
Galway United 2-1 Derry City (17/08/2003)
IrishFootballOnline.com Prediction: Away win.

Preview: Shamrock Rovers v Sligo Rovers

Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers meet on the repaired pitch at Tolka Park on Friday night. Sixth placed Shamrock Rovers go into the game with a one point lead on eighth placed Sligo Rovers with both sides tasting defeats in recent weeks.

The Rovers from Dublin lost consecutive games to the top two, Drogheda and St. Pats. However, the Hoops lost each of those games by just one goal and gave the top sides late scares.

Sligo halted a three game losing streak with a 1-1 draw with Waterford last weekend - manager Paul Cook's first game in charge. Since that, Sligo have seen some backroom changes so they could still be considered to be in transition.

Tadhg Purcell, Ger O'Brien, Ger Rowe and Danny O'Connor are all injury doubts for Shamrock Rovers going into the game but will face late fitness tests. Paul Shiels and Eric McGill remain out injured but otherwise Shamrock Rovers should have a full squad to call from. Club captain Aidan Price returned after injury last weekend and although taken off before the end, suffered no ill effects.

Sligo still have a number of injury problems. Brian Cash remains sidelined for over a month while goalkeeper Richard Brush continues to feel the effects of a knee injury which has hampered him for much of the season. Conor O'Grady, Jason McCarthy and Gary Curran could all miss out with injuries.

Friday's game is the first league meeting between the clubs since the 1999/2000 season when Shamrock Rovers won all three meetings. The last league clash saw Shamrock Rovers win 4-2 in March 2000.

League form for Shamrock Rovers : LLDWL
League form for Sligo Rovers : DLLLW

IrishFootballOnline.com Prediction: Draw.

Preview: Bohemians v UCD

Bohemians host UCD at Dalymount Park on Friday night. Bohs have been solid although less than thrilling so far. Ten points from their last four games have lifted UCD up to fifth, one place behind the Gypsies with just two points between the clubs.

Bohs have drawn four of their eight games to date but highlighting an improvement this season - have lost just once. However, their goal figures tell the real story. Bohs' eight league games so far have produced just eight goals in total - Bohs have scored five but conceded only three. Bohs have failed to score in half of their league games and scored more than once in just one league game so far.

UCD goalkeeper Matt Gregg looks set to remain between the posts at the expense of Irish B international Darren Quigley. Gregg was released by Bohs manager Sean Connor in the close season so may have a point to prove.

Darren Mansaram is suspended for Bohs following his red card in Derry last week. Bohs also have a number of injury problems. Dean Pooley and Harpal Singh both look set to miss out after going off injured in the 0-0 draw in Derry last Friday. Dessie Byrne and Fergal Harkin are also rated as doubtful while manager Sean Connor has added a couple of under-21 players to his matchday squad ahead of the game.

Although Bohs beat the College in two out of three meetings last season, UCD won when the sides last met - in November at Dalymount Park.

League form for Bohemians : DDDWW
League form for UCD : DWWWL

Previous meeting(s) : Bohemians 0-1 UCD (27/10/2006)
UCD 0-1 Bohemians (29/07/2006)
Bohemians 2-1 UCD (28/04/2006)
UCD 1-3 Bohemians (28/10/2005)
Bohemians 1-1 UCD (29/07/2005)
IrishFootballOnline.com Prediction: Home win.