Buckley hopes for happy return to former hunting ground

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION:LIAM BUCKLEY and a fair few other "ex Pats" amongst his Sporting Fingal squad head for Richmond Park this evening in the hope of building on last week's win over Drogheda and inflicting a first defeat of the campaign on the league leaders.

Both managers have close to a full squad to choose from with Pete Mahon waiting to assess the fitness of just one man, Damien Lynch (thigh strain) while Fingal will definitely be without Lorcan Fitzgerald (cheekbone) again.

In addition to former players like Stephen Paisley, Alan Kirby and Brendan Clarke, Buckley will also have a closet fan or two on the bus it seems with Shane McFaul, for one, set to play against the team he supported as a child.

“My brother still goes to watch them every week and I’ve lots of family and friends coming to Inchicore on Friday,” he says. “I have huge respect for Pete since my days playing under him at UCD too, he was responsible for kick-starting my career there. I’ve experienced first-hand how powerful a motivator he is, especially for young players.”

A couple of the top flight’s other unbeaten sides, Dundalk and Sligo Rovers, are both away this evening with Ian Foster’s Dundalk heading to Terryland Park where both managers will be trying to engineer wins over their former clubs.

The visitors are without Tiarnan Mulvenna and Alan Cawley while Sean Connor adds Anto Flood to his squad but must wait to check on the fitness of Jason Molloy, Stephen O’Donnell, Bobby Ryan and Jamie McKenzie.

Sligo have defender Gavin Peers suspended for the trip to Drogheda following his sending off at Dalymount Park last week and Joseph Ndo is still awaiting his new work permit. But Paul Walsh is fit again.

Drogheda, still looking for a first league win of the campaign, are without the suspended John Flood while Joe Kendrick and Corie Treacy are both doubts.

Shamrock Rovers will again be without Gary Twigg and Dessie Baker for UCD’s visit. Pat Sullivan and Stephen Bradley are also on the injury list while Pat Flynn, Danny Murphy and Paddy Kavanagh are all doubts.

Chris Turner is also suspended but James Chambers returns from a ban and Thomas Stewart is added to the squad after completing his move to the club. UCD have Stephen Roche and Ger Barron available again but Paul Corry and Chris Mulhall (dead leg) are major doubts.