WITH THEIR 48th league title all but in the bag after the weekend, Linfield travel to Dublin for this evening's Setanta Sports Cup game at Richmond Park without highly-rated right back Jim Ervin, who will have to embark on the long and difficult road back to recovery after suffering a cruciate ligament injury against Glentoran.

The defender joins Tim McCann and Tim Mouncey on the long-term injury list, while Kris Lindsay is suspended.

John McDonnell is nonetheless under no illusions about how difficult a task his side still face if they are to haul themselves off the bottom of the Group Two table and into serious contention for a place in the competition's semi-finals.

"You certainly couldn't accuse them of being lucky," says the St Patrick's Athletic boss, "because they grind out the wins come what may.

"People will say that it's not as good a league up there but the fact is they're a good side and they'll come down here reckoning that another three points will more or less wrap up a top-two finish in the group for them and we probably need to win in order to keep things going into September."

McDonnell is still without the injured Jamie Harris, while Dave Partridge is suspended but Barry Ryan is back from a ban and the likes of Des Byrne and Michael Keane are getting back towards full fitness.

Ryan could reclaim the goalkeeper's jersey, although McDonnell says it's very much up for grabs after some good performances by Brendan Clarke.

"The young lad's made a lot of progress over the last year and what's good from my point of view," says the manager, "is that I have no concerns about whichever of them plays."

In the night's other game, Derry City manager Stephen Kenny says that with Pat McCourt, Mark Farren and Clive Delaney all out, Aaron Callaghan, David McDaid and Niall McGinn will all feature against Glentoran.