LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISIONWHILE ADMITTING his team can't "buy a goal" at the moment, UCD manager Pete Mahon says his players at least owe him a performance against Cork City at the UCD Bowl tonight following their tame exit from the FAI Cup to First Division Monaghan United on Tuesday.
"I told the players that it was an embarrassing defeat for us. We were the Premier Division team at home and we should be winning those matches," said Mahon before elaborating on his side's real difficulty.
"Our old problem came back to haunt us. We'd a couple of chances and couldn't take them. We can't buy a goal at the moment. We've scored one in the last four games and conceded one. That tells everyone where our problems are."
Striker Paul Byrne's continued absence with a hamstring strain scarcely helps matters as Mahon goes with much the same squad as disappointed him on Tuesday. "I told the players that they certainly owe us a match and (tonight) could be the time they might deliver."
Cork, in their best form of the season after big wins over Derry, Limerick and Cobh, have midfielder George O'Callaghan returning from suspension to give manager Alan Mathews a full squad to choose from.
Second plays third at the Brandywell as St Patrick's Athletic hope to avoid a third defeat of the season to Derry City. "While they were a bit fortuitous to beat us at Richmond in the league, we could have no complaints about the Setanta Cup defeat to them up at the Brandywell," said St Patrick's manager John McDonnell, who welcomes back defenders Stephen Paisley, Jamie Harris and Damien Lynch from injury and suspension.
Ciarán Martyn and Owen Morrison vie to start for Derry in the absence of Gareth McGlynn who damaged knee ligaments in the 1-0 win at Drogheda last week.
Champions Drogheda, their title retention hopes effectively over following that defeat, are without at least seven players - Dan Connor, Graham Gartland, Paul Keegan, Shane Robinson, Richie Baker, Declan O'Brien and Shane Barrett - while striker Eamon Zayed is a doubt with a tight hamstring for their trip to Galway United.
"We know it's very difficult now," admitted Drogheda manager Paul Doolin. "We've lost too many games, dropped a lot of points, and realistically it's a big ask. Really, we need Bohs to lose five games, and I don't think Bohs will. But that doesn't mean that we stop. The league is won over 33 weeks, not 15."
Bottom of the table Galway are without left-back Marc McCulloch (hip) and striker Ciarán Foley (thigh).
Suspensions for Shaun Holmes, Shaun Williams and Stuart Malcolm add to Finn Harps' problems for their home game with Bray Wanderers. Jonathan Minnock, Cornelius Gallagher and Aaron Labonte all remain out injured while strike Gary Beckett, who limped out of Tuesday defeat to Bohemians in his long-awaited debut, and defender Marc Mukendi are doubtful starters. Striker Stephen Parkhouse's returns from suspension.
Bray have selection problems of their own with Kevin Doherty, Ronan Ivory, Gary McCabe and Mark Duggan all suspended. Goalkeeper Chris O'Connor is on international duty with the Australian under-23 Olympic team while captain Colm Tresson hasn't recovered from a long-term hamstring injury.
On the plus side, goalkeeper Alan Gough has recovered from the facial injury which saw his removal on a stretcher during last week's 1-1 draw at St Patrick's.
TONIGHT'S FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated)Premier Division: Derry City v St Patrick's Athletic, Finn Harps v Bray Wanderers (8.0), Galway United v Drogheda United, UCD v Cork City. First Division: Kildare County v Waterford United Monaghan United v Longford Town (8.0) Shelbourne v Sporting Fingal (8.0).
