National League Previews

Saturday (7.30)

Finn Harps v Derry City

Wednesday's hammering of Belgrove probably couldn't have come at a better time for Harps who haven't won a league game since the start of December when they beat Shelbourne 3-2 in Ballybofey.

Manager Charlie McGeever will be hoping James Mulligan and Jonathan Speak can find their form. At the back, Gavin Dykes should be back in contention for a place after missing the cup game through suspension and a groin injury.

Derry have only one worry in their camp with top scorer Liam Coyle struggling to shake off 'flu.

Last two seasons: 1997/98: Derry 1 Harps 0, Harps 1 Derry 0, Derry 0 Harps 0; 98/99: Derry 2 Harps 1.

Recent league form: Harps: WLDLD; City: DLLWW.

Leading scorers: Harps: Mulligan 8, Speak 5; Derry: Coyle 7, McHugh 4.

Betting: Home: 6/4, draw: 11/5, away: 6/4. Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).

Sligo Rovers v Bray Wanderers

The recent results may make for fairly grim reading but at least the various injury and suspension problems that have afflicted these two teams over the past couple of months appear to be easing.

Pat Devlin will be missing John Ryan from his panel but Richie Parsons returns after 'flu and Bo McKeever has finished serving his lengthy suspension. Maurice Farrell, also back from an enforced lay-off, is included in the travelling party.

Rovers have Conor O'Grady, Steve Birks and Mattie Hare back in contention to play although Nicky Reid may decide against chucking all of them straight back in at the one time. Tony Callaghan is out through suspension, though, while Marcus Hallows will do a fitness test on an ankle injury picked up in the draw with Shamrock Rovers.

Last two seasons: 1997/98: Did not meet; 98/99: Bray 1 Rovers 1.

Recent league form: Rovers: DLLLD; Wanderers: LLWDD.

Leading scorers: Rovers: Hallows 7, Shannon 6; Wanderers: Byrne 5, Parsons 3.

Betting: Home: Evens, draw: 9/4, away: 9/4. Referee: T Tully (Cork).

Sunday (3.15)

Shelbourne v Cork City

The home side's battle to achieve some consistency continues but with no end in sight and Dermot Keely will be anxious to see his men step up a gear after disappointing results against Bohemians and Dundalk.

In the build-up to the Dundalk match, the Dubliner was adamant that he saw the 11 that played last Friday in Dalymount as being more or less his best team and insisted that he would stick with them. In the end, Greg Costello came in for Richie Baker but it is likely to be much the same starting line up for tomorrow's visit of the cup holders.

The Cork side will still be without Fergus O'Donoghue who has been back in light training but is still a couple of weeks off being fully fit. Dave Barry says that a decision on whether Patsy Freyne, whose father died this week, takes any part in the game will be left to a player himself.

The City manager says that he is happy with the way that the players have put last week's defeat behind them. "We've had a couple of good training sessions and everybody's just anxious to get back out there again."

Last two seasons: 1997/98: Shelbourne 3 City 1, City 4 Shelbourne 4, Shelbourne 1 City 1; 98/99: City 2 Shelbourne 1.

Recent league form: Shelbourne: WWLLL; City: LWWDL.

Leading scorers: Shelbourne: Sheridan 8, Fenlon 6; City: Flanagan and Cahill 6 each.

Betting: Home: 7/4, draw: 12/5, away: 6/5. Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).

UCD v Dundalk

The shine may have gone of the students' form recently but they're still a good deal more straightforward to figure out than Dundalk. Abysmal when at home to Bray and Bohemians over Christmas and new year, Jim McLaughlin's side have since beaten Waterford well and snatched all three points at Shelbourne with a team that featured half a dozen local men.

Another three points tomorrow would start to provide them with a little bit of breathing space and they will be better fixed than in recent outings with Tom McNulty back from suspension, new signing Frederic Lanvin joining the squad and David Capper likely to be fit again.

Last two seasons: 1997/98: Dundalk 1 UCD 1, UCD 1 Dundalk 3, Dundalk 1 UCD 2; 98/99: Dundalk 2 UCD 0.

Recent league form: UCD: WDDLL; Dundalk: WLLWW.

Leading scorers: UCD: O'Byrne 6, Bennis 4; Dundalk: Ward 3.

Betting: Home: Evens, draw: 9/4, away: 9/4. Referee: E Barr (Dublin).