National League Premier Division: The club's future is some way from being secure, but after a busy week off the pitch Shamrock Rovers' players will at least head to Drogheda for their fifth game of the league campaign this evening with their wages in their back pockets, something manager Roddy Collins reckons just might lead to a much needed improvement in form.

"We didn't play well last week and we ended up being booed off the pitch and I can understand the frustration the supporters feel, but within the squad the mood is much better now," he says. "We went into last week's game a day after all the cheques bounced and the lads were all very down about it. It was only this week in training that some of them admitted to me that they just didn't want to play.

"It's understandable, because some of them must have been getting grief at home, I mean it'd only be natural when there's a mortgage to be paid and all the rest of it. But now that things have been sorted out behind the scenes everyone's way more upbeat. They've been buzzing in training, and while we all know that we've got to put points on the board, at least that's all we've got to worry about for the moment."

Rovers have managed just two points from their four games to date and lie second from bottom in the table. They've conceded six goals, but it is up front that their real problem seems to lie with just two goals, both of them late strikes by substitutes, to show for 360 minutes of football.

"Part of the problem is that I brought in Martin Cameron, who should get a lot of goals for us, but he was coming back from a long lay-off and he hasn't been right. He's gone off now for a few days to work on his fitness and I'm hoping that he'll be firing on all cylinders over the next few weeks."

Mark Rutherford is the visiting team's only other doubt with a knee problem.

United are just about at full strength with Alan Reilly back from suspension and only Tony Bird, whose contract has been terminated, missing from the panel. The club are looking to end a miserable, seven-game run at home without a run.

"It's a bit of a mystery to me, but I would have to concede that our home form last season was very poor and it's something that we need to improve this season," says manager Paul Doolin. "But with all the changes it's a different team this season, so the run I'm concerned about is only two games and hopefully we can put an end to that with a win in this game."

Elsewhere, Damien Richardson is hoping Neale Horgan and Denis Behan recover from knocks picked up in Portadown in time to play at Bohemians this evening. If the pair are fit enough to feature, the southerners will be at full strength and the manager will have to choose whether to bring back in Joe Gamble and John O'Flynn after suspensions and injury, respectively.

Gareth Farrelly and Tony Grant are rated 50-50 for the game with thigh and ankle injuries respectively, while Ken Oman is suspended. Thomas Heary is expected to be out for up to five months after undergoing knee surgery last week, so Terry Palmer will make his first start.

Shelbourne are still without Alan Moore, because of a calf strain, for the visit of St Patrick's Athletic, but Richie Baker is back from suspension.

Waterford will again be missing Paul Crowley (groin) and could well be unchanged at UCD where a win could put them top again.