Doolan to alter little

National League: Drogheda United will attempt to narrow Shelbourne's lead at the top of the Premier Division table to six points this evening when they take on Derry City at United Park.

Paul Doolan, whose name is one of several being linked with the Bohemians job, has the same panel available to him as he had for Monday's FAI cup defeat of local rivals Dundalk and, given the result that night, there are unlikely to be too many changes in terms of the starting line-up.

"Alan Reilly is back training after being out for a little longer than we had expected," said Doolan yesterday, "but he won't be available for this game so it's the same bunch of lads as we had the other night. Overall they did well enough against Dundalk so I don't see it changing that much."

United have a game in hand on the league leaders but play three times over the next eight days while Shelbourne don't have a league outing for a fortnight.

Asked whether three wins would put his side in a position to mount a challenge to Shelbourne over the remainder of the season, Doolan plays the prospect down.

"I wouldn't like to say whether we'll be there at the very end," he says. "Shelbourne and Bohemians are probably that further on than us at the moment and, to be honest, I'd have to say we've done a little better this season than I would have expected at this stage."

City travel for the game with five players - Clive Delaney, Michael Holt, Paddy McLaughlin, Ciaran Martyn and Eamonn Doherty - suspended while Gareth McGlynn and Mark Farren are both out injured.

Cork City have Dan Murray, Danny Murphy and George O'Callaghan back from suspension for the other game of the night while Waterford United play at Turner's Cross without Dan Connor or Mark Clifford, who have bans, and Alan Reynolds is also without John Frost, Wayne Fitzgerald, Willie Brunton and Vinny Sullivan due to injury.