FAI National League Previews

Today

Sligo v Bohemians (8.0)

Nicky Reid's side will be looking to build on last week's fine start at Dundalk by beating a Bohemians team that showed the effects of so many changes being made at Dalymount.

Sligo are likely to stick to much the same side that has gone three matches unbeaten although Padraig Moran, who limped out of the Oriel Park game after 11 minutes, will miss out, with the probable upshot that local striker, Glen Shannon, who replaced him, will get his first start. Bohemians welcome back Maurice O'Driscoll, who has been suffering from a foot injury, and he may well figure at some point this evening. Derek Swan, scorer of both of the Dubliners' goals in the defeat by Finn Harps last Friday, will lead the attack again and another two this evening would bring his career tally in the league to 100.

Last season: Sligo 2 Bohemians 2, Bohemians 1 Sligo 1, Sligo 2 Bohemians 1.

League Cup/League form: Sligo: LWD/W; Bohemians: WDW/L.

Betting: Home: 6/4, draw: 15/8, away: 7/4.

Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).

Finn Harps v Waterford (7.30)

Charlie McGeever said last week that the game at Bohemians would be a good pointer to how much progress his side had made and the 3-2 win has boosted confidence for the assignments ahead.

Waterford, he admits, will be a very different match with Tommy Lynch's side coming to defend and catch Harps on the break. But McGeever will be looking to wide men Eamonn Kavanagh and Tom Mohan to get behind the visitors' defence and provide the chances for the front runners. John Gerard McGettigan (hamstring) is the only doubt for the locals but he should be fit enough to play.

United, likewise, will have been pleased with the way they kicked off the campaign even if the win against UCD wasn't the most stylish of affairs.

Tommy Lynch says that he hasn't decided on whether to make any changes but he has a full panel available.

Last season: Did not meet.

League Cup/League form: Harps: WDD/W; Waterford: LDW/W.

Betting: Home: 8/11, Draw: 2/1, Away: 4/1.

Referee: T Carroll (Dublin).

Tomorrow

Cork City v Derry City (12.0)

Cork showed considerable character last week to bounce back from their disappointment in Kiev and win at Bray and tomorrow's game should be another interesting test of how Dave Barry's side are shaping up.

The southerners have a few problems, though, with Greg O'Halloran having picked up a knee injury in the Irish under-18 match and Patsy Freyne missing training this week due to bruised ribs. Assuming Brian Barry Murphy and Derek Coughlan came through last night's game in Kilkenny, they will be included. Derry boss Felix Healy aims to stick largely with the men that lost to St Patrick's Athletic. "There wasn't actually too much wrong with the performance," he reckons "but we conceded a goal at a bad time and then came up against the Berlin wall."

One problem Healy is likely to have to cope with, however, is the loss of Eamonn Doherty, who strained a calf muscle in training. Eddie McCallion, a local 19-year-old recently returned from England, where he had spells at Blackburn and Newcastle, may well be the one to come straight in.

Last season: Cork 2 Derry 0, Derry 1 Cork 1, Cork 0 Derry 1.

League Cup/League form: Cork: WWW/W; Derry: WWD/L.

Betting: Home: 4/5, draw: 11/5, away: 100/ 30.

Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).

UCD v Shelbourne (3.15)

The students, as Theo Dunne readily admits, could do with banging in a couple of goals tomorrow but the likely absence of Mick O'Byrne, who has been out since coming off with a pulled muscle in the Shelbourne game, will hardly help matters.

In his absence Eoin Bennis will continue to deputise and the home club may well field an unchanged team from the one that lost their opener in Waterford.

Dermot Keely's side have no such problems in front of goal although the new manager would surely have liked them to have been a bit tighter at the back over the course of the last few minutes last week when they allowed a 2-0 lead to slip away.

In spite of the slip-up, Keely insists that he was happy enough with the performance against Rovers and the only changes tomorrow are likely to be forced on him. Dessie Baker is suffering from a knee problem and is rated as doubtful but Liam Kelly (ankle) and James Keddy (knee) are definitely out which should open the door to Dean Fitzgerald and Rory Ginty.

Last season: UCD 2 Shelbourne 1, Shelbourne 3 UCD 1, UCD 2 Shelbourne 3.

League Cup/League form: UCD: LLD/L; Shelbourne: WWD/D.

Betting: Home: 4/1, draw: 5/2, away: 8/13.

Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).

First Division

James Coll takes the Monaghan United bus to Kilkenny tomorrow morning having signed for Billy Bagster earlier this week and his arrival at the club will further strengthen a team that got off to an impressive start against St Francis.

United will be without Mick Scully, who is suspended, while City have a few doubts hanging over players. Richie Hale scored two goals after coming on against Limerick last week but uncle Alfie feels that, having been laid up for a while, he may be as well to start on the bench again.

Betting courtesy of Paddy Power