Collins remains confident Monaghan can manage to get out of second gear

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE:A LESSER man might be having the first inklings of doubt after seeing his side take just two points from their first seven league games but even after last week's six-goal hammering by Cork City, Roddy Collins returns to Dalymout Park to face Bohemians this evening insisting the fixture is "another 50-50 game" for Monaghan United.

A couple of weeks ago the home support might have felt something similar but two straight wins and a few goals has injected much-needed confidence into the Dubliners’ camp, something Collins’ side could probably do with now.

Former Bohemians boss Collins plays down the importance of last week’s defeat and expresses confidence about his side’s ability to rise to the challenge of top-flight football over the campaign.

“We just haven’t got going yet,” he says, “we’re barely in second gear but this is another opportunity and I’ve no doubt we’ll be alright when we get playing. But we have to get everyone back and keep working very hard.”

Collins has Willo McDonagh and Keith Quinn suspended, while Aidan Collins and Alan Byrne are still a couple of weeks away from returning.

Bohemians, whose improvement seems to have been sparked by a significant tactical shift that has enabled the team to provide better support to young strikers, have, David Scully aside, pretty much a full-strength squad.

At the other end of the table, Sligo will be looking to bounce back from the midweek defeat at Crusaders when they head to Cork. Jason McGuinness is a doubt with a shoulder problem but Haitian international Pascal Millien is included in the squad.

The hosts are still without Neal Horgan, Stephen Mulcahy and Kevin Murray, while Jamie Murphy (ankle) and John Dunleavy (knee) are doubts, but Tommy Dunne will be hoping his side can build on last week’s big win.

For the second week in a row, Stephen Kenny’s Shamrock Rovers go into a Friday night game with a point to prove and they will be well pleased if they produce anything like a repeat of the 6-0 over Dundalk when they take on Bray at the Carlisle Grounds.

As Pat Devlin points out, however, games between these two tend to be a “unpredictable” and the champions don’t win at Wanderers too often so he will be hoping to spring another surprise to add to the two league wins his side managed against the Dubliners last season. Kenny adds Conor Winn to last week’s panel, while there are doubts about Shane O’Connor and Adam Mitchell.

Derry City continue to be dogged by injury problems and as they prepare to face Dundalk at home they are waiting to assess the fitness of Shane McEleney, Simon Madden and Stephen McLoughlin, while Rory Patterson, Ruaidhri Higgins, Owen Morrison and Stewart Greacen – who had knee surgery this week – are out.

The visitors are without Derek Foran but Nathan Murphy returns and Eoghan Osbourne looks set to be a part of the squad after a long lay off with a broken leg.

Lorcan Fitzgerald and Stephen Hurley are the only absentees from the Shelbourne squad that will head to Drogheda, while Mick Cooke has Ryan Brennan back and Cathal Brady available for the first time this year but Paul Crowley is still injured.

And in the night’s other game, St Patrick’s Athletic will hope to extend their long unbeaten run at home to UCD in the league, although they could do with beating the students rather than ending up with yet another draw.

Liam Buckley has pretty much a full strength squad, while Martin Russell will be without Ger Barron (toe) and Mick Leahy (hip).

FIXTURES AND BETTING

Fixtures (7.45)

PREMIER DIVISION

Bohemians v Monaghan United  Home: 4/7, Draw: 12/5, Away: 11/2.

Bray Wanderers v Shamrock Rovers Home: 15/2, Draw: 3/1, Away: 2/5.

Cork City v Sligo Rovers Home: 7/2, Draw: 23/10, Away: 4/5.

Derry City v Dundalk Home: 4/9, Draw: 14/5, Away: 7/1.

Drogheda United v Shelbourne Home: 8/15, Draw: 11/5, Away: 13/8.

St Patrick's Athletic v UCD Home: 2/5, Draw: 3/1, Away: 15/2.

FIRST DIVISION

SD Galway v Athlone Town Home: 11/5, Draw: 11/5, Away: 11/10.

Waterford United v Wexford Youths Home: 11/10, Draw: 11/5, Away: 11/5.

Betting courtesy of Paddy Power.