Airtricity League Premier Division previews: Shamrock Rovers look to add to Bohs’ woes

Friday (7.45pm unless stated)

Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers, Dalymount Park,

A tumultuous August for Bohemians resulted in the sacking of manager Keith Long just days before their arch rivals visit Dalymount Park. The aim of securing European football is fast receding for a squad that has been haemorrhaging talent all summer.

Rovers have bigger fish to fry with six Europa Conference League ties beginning next Thursday when Djurgardens of Sweden comes to Tallaght, so Stephen Bradley will presumably use the Dublin derby to improve Jack Byrne’s match fitness and further expose teenagers Justin Ferizaj and Aidomo Emakhu to senior football. Expect the champions to put 26 points between the clubs with a comfortable win.

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St Patrick’s Athletic v Finn Harps, Richmond Park

Three league wins since a spicy 2-0 defeat to CSKA Sofia in Tallaght ended their Europa campaign leaves St Pat’s just four points behind third-placed Dundalk with a game to spare. Club owner Garrett Kelleher stalled the usual football business to pay tribute to record appearance holder Ian Bermingham, who will retire at season’s end.

“Bermo is one of a kind, the achievement of playing for one club for 13 seasons is extraordinary and on behalf of everyone at St Patrick’s Athletic and personally would like to congratulate and thank him for his enormous contribution to our club,” said Kelleher. Harps remain in all sorts of bother, second from bottom just two points clear of UCD, despite a recent 3-2 win over of Sligo Rovers. St Pat’s to make it four on the bounce.

Dundalk v Shelbourne, Oriel Park, 7.45pm – Live RTÉ 2

Damien Duff’s Shels are honing in on sixth-placed Bohs ahead of the north Dublin derby doubling as the FAI Cup quarter-final on September 18th, when the success of both clubs season will be at stake. Duff took the time this week to brand the suggestion that Shels are underperforming since promotion as “crazy talk” as “everyone above us, has triple, quadruple our budget.”

Dundalk under Stephen O’Donnell are presented with a clearer proposition; any more dropped points will remove them from the title race – they are seven points adrift of Shamrock Rovers with two more games played – and give St Pat’s a chance to steal the third European spot.

Derry City v UCD, Brandywell, 7.45pm

As any hint of a competitive run-in fades from view, Derry manager Ruaidhrí Higgins is adamant that a fully-fit Michael Duffy would have altered the course of the Candystripes campaign. “I’m not Mystic Meg,” Higgins revealed. “I don’t know where we would be but we’d definitely be closer [to Shamrock Rovers].”

Duffy is inching back to full health after fracturing a tibia in March so hope springs eternal that the champions’ European exertions could help close the seven-point gap between first and second. Failing that, Derry and Duffy can knock Rovers out of the FAI Cup later this month.