Preview: Dundalk FC v Bohemian FC

Dundalk FC welcome Bohemian FC to Oriel Park on Friday night for a crucial SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division fixture, with both sides level on points in third and fourth place in the league table.

The Lilywhites go into the game on the back of one of the matches of the season so far, a thrilling 3-3 draw with Waterford at the RSC on Monday night, having previously suffered a home defeat to Shelbourne. Bohemians, meanwhile, secured a late point in a 2-2 draw with Shelbourne at Dalymount Park.

When the sides met earlier in the season at Dalymount Park, the points were shared in a 1-1 draw, with Gbemi Arubi’s equaliser cancelling out Patrick Hickey’s opener.

Manager Comments

Speaking ahead of the game, Dundalk manager Ciaran Kilduff said: “We welcome Bohemians to Oriel Park on Friday night and we are looking forward to what should be another strong battle.

“We had a great contest with them at Dalymount Park in the reverse fixture during the first round of games, and we expect it to be no different this time around. They are a team full of talent and they will be coming here looking to pick up three points, but our focus will be firmly on ourselves.

“We are quite happy with our opening 15 games of the season. Of course, there are areas where we know we can improve. We were disappointed with the goals we conceded in Waterford and we know we can do better in that regard. At the other end of the pitch, we have been free-scoring and we have been a really exciting team to watch, but we want to have both sides of the game. That is what will take us to the next level in our evolution.

“Every player in the squad has helped us get to where we are. You can see that in our current position and points tally in the league, but that does not guarantee anything. We have to make sure we perform on the night against a good Bohemians team who will have aspirations of picking up points themselves.

“This league is already showing how competitive it is. Every team can go through a spell where they win a couple of games and then find it difficult to win the next couple. That is the nature of the division. What we have seen from ourselves, as a newly promoted team, is that we have been competitive in almost every game. We have really got after teams. It has worked on some nights and it has cost us on others, but that was always going to be the way.

“As a group, we do not get too high after wins or too low after defeats, and that is not about to change. We are fully focused on the next game every time. It has always been one game at a time, looking at the next challenge and trying to get better from the one before it. Our focus always switches straight to trying to pick up points in the next match, and that approach will not be changing.

“In terms of team news, we lost Mayowa Animasahun in Waterford, but we do have some lads hopefully fit and coming back. We hope to have the majority of the long-term injuries available again, with the exception of Norman Garbett and Conor Kearns. Other lads are very close, and a couple will have fitness tests as we assess bodies.

“We are at the end of a three-game week, which is always difficult for our squad and every squad in the division. The only loss we have had from Waterford is Mayowa, but the good news is that Eoin Kenny’s suspension is over, so hopefully he will be back available and hopefully he can stay there this time.”

Team News

• Mayowa Animasahun is absent following the injury he picked up against Waterford on Monday night.

• With the exception of long-term absentees Norman Garbett and Conor Kearns, Dundalk hope to have players returning to the fold, although a couple will face late fitness tests.