Dundalk enter their final warm-up game ahead of next week’s league kick-off when they travel to the Brandywell to face Premier Division side Derry City this Friday evening (kick-off 7.45pm). The Lilywhites, despite notching up just one win, have so far impressed in their five meetings with top flight opposition during pre-season, with their latest outing, on Tuesday night, seeing them fight back to hold Bohemians to a 1-1 draw at Dalymount Park.
 
Derry too have been busy in pre-season with five games already under their belts, and the Candystripes have impressed in every one of their outings to date as they still boast a 100% record in 2008. Stephen Kenny’s men have bagged wins on home soil over Irish League trio Institute (4-1), Ballymena United (1-0) and Newry City (4-1), and First Division side Monaghan United (3-2), while they also hammered Portuguese club UD Messinense 5-0 during a week of warm-weather training in Vilamoura.
 
Dundalk Team News: With the First Division kicking-off next Friday, manager John Gill could line-out with his strongest team from the start here. Centre-half Ben Whelehan and central midfielder Paul Crowley should again feature, while key pair, right-back John Flanagan and midfielder David Cassidy, both rested for the Bohs game, could return to the squad.
 
2008 Friendly Results - Derry City:
5 February - Institute 1-4 Derry City - (Sammon (2), Farren (2))
8 February - Derry City 1-0 Ballymena United - (McLaren)
18 February - UD Messinense 0-5 Derry City - (Hutton, McCourt, Sammon, McHugh (2))
23 February - Derry City 3-2 Monaghan United - (McHugh, Sammon (2))
26 February - Derry City 4-1 Newry City - (McCourt (2), Farren (2))
 
Dundalk:
7 February - Dundalk 0-0 Drogheda United - (Drogheda win 5-4 on penalties)
12 February - Dundalk 1-0 Saint Patrick’s Athletic - (Flanagan 4)
14 February - Dundalk 0-2 Bray Wanderers - (Duggan 27, Vaughan OG 60)
21 February - Dundalk 1-2 Shamrock Rovers - (Lynch 80; Murphy 3, Doyle 55)
26 February - Bohemians 1-1 Dundalk - (Fenn 56; Smyth 71)