League of Ireland Previews:Drogheda United manager Paul Doolin will struggle to field a starting XI for tonight's game with Cork City at United Park owing to their ever-increasing list of injuries after the club said a request to have the game postponed was refused.

The league has granted Drogheda permission to sign an emergency goalkeeper ahead of the match, but Doolin says he has little hope of doing that.

Mikko Vilmunen will thus have to start despite an ankle injury. Left back Simon Webb, who has five stitches in an eye cut suffered in Monday's Setanta Sports Cup semi-final win at St Patrick's Athletic, is in the same position.

In-form striker Eamon Zayed and defender Brian Shelley are unfit to start having suffered hamstring and thigh strains respectively in the same match.

Dan Connor, Jason Gavin, Damien Lynch, Graham Gartland, Declan O'Brien, James Keddy, Richie Baker, Aidan O'Keeffe and Shane Barrett remain out injured, and a suspension to striker Glen Fitzpatrick scarcely helps.

Cork bring Brian O'Callaghan into their defence as a replacement for Seán Kelly (ankle).

"We've proved we can play - the big step is the mental one," says Shamrock Rovers manager Pat Scully ahead of the Dublin derby at St Patrick's tonight.

Eric McGill has joined captain Aidan Price and Paul Shiels in the Rovers treatment room with a groin problem. Tadhg Purcell, Ger Rowe and Danny O'Connor must pass fitness tests. Joseph Ndo should return for St Patrick's following an ankle injury.

Despite Derry City's struggle for form, Bohemians won't be drawn into a false sense of security at the Brandywell.

Derry midfielder Kevin Deery is out for up to six weeks with ankle-ligament damage while Greg O'Halloran has suffered a hip injury. Also out are Alan Moore (back) and Seán Hargan (Achilles). Darren Kelly and Paddy McCourt trained this week and are in contention to start.

Bray are at full strength for the visit of Galway United, who bring the same squad that drew with Bohemians last week, to the Carlisle Grounds.

At Belfield, a fourth successive win is UCD's goal against Longford Town. Brian King is out for College with a foot injury.

A suspension for Daire Doyle means Longford reshuffle, with Patrick Sullivan, back from a ban at right back, freeing John Martin to return to midfield.