National League Previews

Friday

Shelbourne v Derry City (7.35)

With several players out or, at the very least, doubtful the main dilemma for Dermot Keely appears to be whether to throw James Keddy back into the action following a 14-month absence with a series of knee injuries.

Neil Ogden, along with Stephen Geoghegan and John Powell, is expected to sit the game out due to injury and so there is a vacancy out on the left flank but, insists Keely: "I have a few options to play with".

Almost certain to be recalled is Dessie Baker who will partner Gary Haylock up front while younger brother Richie will start on the right after spending the week with Bristol City on a trial.

Kevin Mahon has problems of his own, meanwhile, with first choice strike-force Liam Coyle and Gary Beckett sidelined by suspension and injury respectively.

More alarming, though, is the general lack of consistency produced by his team so far. Since beating St Patrick's, Waterford and Rovers in the first three weeks they have won only one in five with their home form especially miserable. In the absence of the more experienced frontmen, Darren McCaul and Floyd Gilmour will start again this evening.

Prices have been reduced for this match, £3 for adults with children and pensioners admitted free.

Last season: City 0 Shelbourne 1, Shelbourne 2 City 0, City 1 Shelbourne 0.

Recent league form: Shelbourne: WDWWD, City: LLDWL.

Betting: Home: 6/5, Draw: 12/5, Away: 7/4.

Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).

UCD v Waterford Utd (7.45)

Waterford continue to struggle because of a terrible lack of firepower which has resulted in an increasingly dismal collection of points.

Last week they had much the better of the game with Shelbourne yet rarely threatened to actually turn their dominance into the full three points and manager Mike Flanagan was once again left to ponder what might have been if he had managed to sign Vinny Arkins during the summer.

United will be without John Frost and Alan Reynolds again for the trip to Belfield but that rather pales beside the problems which the home side has right now.

Mick O'Byrne is laid up for three or four weeks with a hamstring problem, Tony McDonnell, who didn't play in the defeat by Bohemians, is very doubtful with the same injury while Peter Hanrahan (ankle), Brian Mooney (not one but two dead legs) and Glen Fitzpatrick (knee) are rated - in order - as being somewhere between very doubtful and could be fitter.

"Last week was a disappointment," says Theo Dunne of the 2-0 loss to Bohemians "but what it showed us was that we need to get some more battling qualities into the side. It's a tough league with every team capable of winning any game. We know now more than ever that we'll have to fight for the points when we go into matches like this weekend's against Waterford and Derry".

Last season: United 1 UCD 0, UCD 1 United 1, United 1 UCD 2.

Recent league form: UCD: LWWLL, United: LDLLD.

Betting: Home: 1/2, Draw: 12/5, Away: 11/2. Referee: E Barr (Dublin).

First Division (both 7.45): Athlone Town v Longford Town, Bray Wanderers v St Francis.

Betting courtesy of Paddy Power.