National League:Drogheda United's hopes of beating Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park this evening to go clear at the top of the Premier Division table for at least 24 hours, have suffered a blow in the form of a knee injury to striker Declan O'Brien who presumably has to join a queue to get on the club's treatment table.
O'Brien took a knock in the league win over Sligo and was rested for the Setanta Cup clash with Derry City. A scan has revealed ligament damage and the striker looks set to spend a while longer on the sidelines with the likes of Shane Barrett, Jason Gavin and Richie Baker.
"It's disappointing," says manager Paul Doolin, "but I still feel that even with all the injuries we have at the club right now we have 15 players who are as good as anyone in the country.
"We've started well and it's up to those players to keep it going until we get a few more bodies back. Going to Rovers won't be easy but we've shown over the last few weeks we don't need to fear anyone either."
Danny O'Connor and Andy Myler come back into consideration for the home side after missing last week's draw at Turner's Cross through injury but team captain Aidan Price and Paul Shiels are still out and Robbie Kelleher has been released from his contract by mutual consent.
Cork travel to Bray looking both to maintain their strong recent form and to exact a measure of revenge for the defeat at the Carlisle Grounds late last season, which knocked their title defence badly off course.
"It was a real setback and it left a bit of a sour taste," says Damien Richardson, "so I'm personally looking forward to hopefully getting to set the record straight."
Roy O'Donovan, Liam Kearney, Joe Gamble and Michael Devine are all likely to return for City after being rested against Dungannon Swifts.
Derry City boss Pat Fenlon is set to stick with Pat Jennings in goal for the visit of UCD despite the Northerner's midweek mishaps against Drogheda United. Ola Tidman, Alan Moore and Peter Hynes are all available after being ineligible for the Setanta Cup game but Greg O'Halloran misses out due to a hip problem, while Paddy McCourt and Darren Kelly are not expected to be fit enough to start the game.
Bohemians skipper Kevin Hunt is a doubt for tonight's visit by Galway United to Dalymount Park. Everyone else is fit and available to Sean Connor, however, and the manager must decide whether to start Darren Mansaram again after the striker's brace in the League Cup.
At the foot of the table, Longford will look to build on last week's draw in Galway when they take on a Waterford side that hasn't won in the league since the first night of the season.
"The fact that we came from behind and Shay (Kelly) then saved a penalty made the draw feel like a win," says Longford boss Alan Mathews. "It's been very difficult for us so far but I can't fault the effort put in by the lads and if we could get a win against Waterford we could jump a couple of places up the table.
"We've got Bray and UCD coming up then and if we could get another result or two we could jump another couple of places so while things aren't great just now, we're all very aware of how quickly they could change."
Gareth Cronin, meanwhile, is still without Kenny Browne (hand) and Robbie Hedderman (thigh) for the game.
The big game of the weekend in the first division is the meeting between the top two with Limerick 37 hosting Dundalk this evening at Jackman Park.
FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated): Premier Division: Bohemians v Galway United; Bray Wanderers v Cork City; Derry City v UCD; Longford Town v Waterford United; Shamrock Rovers v Drogheda United (8pm). First Division: Limerick 37 v Dundalk; Monaghan United v Athlone Town (8pm).
