National League Previews

SATURDAY

Sligo Rvrs v St Patrick's (Showgrounds 7.30)

IF LAST season is anything to go by then a visit to Sligo might be just the thing to perk up the ailing champions. On each of their three meetings last season, the Saints stuck four past Rovers but it's hard to imagine this one being quite so one sided. The Dubliners, for a start, are still missing the influence of Paul Osam in the centre of the park and Buckley's scope to switch things around is somewhat limited by ongoing injuries to Shane Harte and Willie Burke.

Rovers will again be without Jim Sheridan (hamstring) while defender Paul Bonner and striker Padraig Moran are both highly doubtful for the game with calf and toe injuries respectively.

Last season: St Patrick's 4 Rovers 1, Rovers 1 St Patrick's 4, St Patrick's 4 Rovers 0. Recent league form: Rovers: LWLD, St Patrick's: LDWL. Betting: Home: 100/30, Draw: 11/5, Away: 13/8. Referee: R O'Hanlon (Waterford).

SUNDAY

Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers (Tolka Park, 3.15)

IT'S early in the season to be getting worked up about a Bohemians - Rovers clash that can be genuinely billed as a top of the table cash -even if they're not actually by the time the game is played. Both sides have improved over the opening few weeks and while the two managers make a point of warning against expectations getting out of control, there is some cause for optimism in both camps.

Sean Francis (hamstring), Tony Cousins (knee) and Jason Colwell (hamstring) are all rated as doubtful for the Hoops. Damien Richardson says that he is happy with the way 18 year-old Anthony Stewart performed last week against Waterford but without one of the more experienced men alongside him he may struggle and so the Rovers manager will leave a final decision until as close to kick-off. Derek Tracey, on the other hand, should be back despite a calf strain.

Roddy Collins has problems of his own with Shaun Maher (twisted knee) and Tony O'Connor (calf strain) both struggling. Last season: Rovers 3 Bohemians 0, Bohemians 1 Rovers 1, Rovers 1 Bohemians 1. Recent league form: Bohemians: WLWW; Rovers: WWLW. Betting: Home:, Draw:, Away:. Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).

Derry City v Drogheda Utd (Brandywell 3.15)

THE HOME side's flying start to the new campaign was ended with a bit of a bump last week when, in Kevin Mahon's own words "we got stuffed". Against Drogheda, he hopes, his men may become airborne again. Joe Harkin and Shaun Gallagher are still unavailable while Paul Curran may yet join the first team squad for Sunday's game. Otherwise Mahon will stick with the players that have made City one of the early pacesetters.

United, meanwhile, have Darren O'Keefe available after a calf strain while Fergal Coleman is in the reckoning to play following an achilles tendon problem.

Last season: Did not meet. Recent league form: City: WWWL; United: LDLD. Betting: Home: 2/7, Draw: 7/2, Away: 8/1. Referee: E Barr (Dublin).

First Division

AS USUAL it's all pretty tight in the first division but one of the more interesting fixtures this weekend looks to be the visit of Dundalk to St Colman's Park. The list of Dundalk injuries borders on the comical with Brendan Murphy (shoulder), Padraig Staunton (Gaelic football commitments), John Sharkey (knee), David Hoey (suspension), Paul Whelan (ribs), Mark Reid (hamstring) and David Ward (stomach) all estimated to be somewhere between not fully fit and on their last legs. In the circumstances Eviston may have to go with a rather youthful starting lineup. John O'Rourke adds Paul Coughlan, who has just returned from Australia, to his squad but will otherwise have the same panel available as last week. Another of the teams challenging is Longford, whose manager, Stephen Kenny, will have to figure without right sided midfielder Stephen Gavin for the next month or so after the player had a cartilage operation.

FIXTURES: Saturday - Home Farm Fingal v Longford Town, Kilkenny City v St Francis (both 7.30); Sunday - Cobh Ramblers v Dundalk (2.0), Monaghan United v Limerick (3.15).

Betting courtesy of Paddy Power