Dundalk travel to Tolka Park

Dundalk FC are aiming to make it back-to-back SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division wins when they travel to Tolka Park tonight to face Shelbourne FC. Kick off at 7.45pm.

The Lilywhites have moved from bottom of the league table for the first time since March having won two and drawn one of their previous four games. Ryan O’Kane and Jamie Gullan hit the target Dundalk in their 3-2 victory away against Stephen Kenny’s St. Patrick’s Athletic.

Shelbourne’s eight-game winning streak came to an end as they were beaten 2-1 by Sligo Rovers at Tolka Park thanks to goals from Kailin Barlow and Fabrice Hartmann.

Shels lead the way at the top of the Premier Division by two points ahead with a game in hand over second place Derry City. Both sides have played each other twice this season already with a 0-0 at Oriel Park in May after Damien Duff’s side secured a 2-1 victory at Tolka Park in March.

It has been five games since the Lilywhites picked up a win in Drumcondra where Dundalk have not beaten the Reds on the road since February 2020 when goals from Patrick Hoban and Andy Boyle ensured a 2-1 win.

Winger Ryan O’Kane shared his thoughts ahead of tonight’s clash. He said: “I think we’re in a false position. Obviously, a few of the performances at the start of the season, like Sligo and Galway, were unacceptable.

“After that, I think some of our performances have been brilliant and we’ve just been very unlucky, away to Sligo, home to Pat’s and different games like that, where we’ve got draws. Maybe that bit of luck, like my goal on Monday – hasn’t went for us in recent weeks.

“It gives us a boost, we’re off the bottom. It’s looking up now, that’s our mentality – focus on climbing up that table. There’s still half a season to go, there’s so much to play for, and obviously a Cup run as well. It’s a long season, you just don’t know what can happen.

“We’re after beating a top team, the Cup winners, away from home, and got a good result against Derry who have been challenging for the title for the past three years. We can beat anyone on our day”

Dundalk manager Jon Daly added: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I genuinely wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t feel there was quality in the group. I didn’t know the players before I took the job so you’re only getting to know them and I have to say the characters that are in the changing room are fantastic.

“They’re certainly not a team that should be where they are, but they are. They’re there because they haven’t got results and it’s important now that we try to back Monday’s win up on Friday away to Shels, who are a really good side. We need to try to get something there too.

“We have a fantastic defensive record at home, seven clean-sheets in a row, so it’s trying to bring that mentality when we go away from home.”

In team news, Robbie Benson is back in contention but Robbie Mahon, Koen Oostenbrink and Dara Keane are injured while Louie Annesley is on international duty with Gibraltar. Ciaran McGuckin has returned to Rotherham United following the end of his loan deal.”