Rivals know all to play for

SOCCER: EMMET MALONEtalks to Shamrock Rovers' Gary Twigg and Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon ahead of this evening's Dublin derby at Dalymount Park

IAIN DOWIE may have coined the term “bouncebackability” during his days with Crystal Palace but as Shamrock Rovers head to Dalymount Park this evening aiming to all but wrap up their first league title in more than a decade and a half, Gary Twigg is hoping to eclipse the Londoners when it comes to displaying the quality out on the football pitch.

A few weeks ago Rovers’ march towards the title was briefly stopped in its tracks by a determined Dundalk display but they swiftly reacted to the setback by beating Galway United in both league and cup to keep their dream of a double firmly in view.

Now, having suffered the disappointment of another unexpected defeat, 3-2 against UCD at Belfield on Friday night, Twigg sees this evening’s all-ticket, top-of-the-table clash as a prime opportunity for the team to underline its title credentials. “Yeah,” says the Scot, “we’ve had a few bad results this season and bounced back well so hopefully this will be no different. I’m sure we’ll be ready. We’ll take whatever comes at us.”

Twigg’s opening goal on Friday, his 19th of the league campaign, was further evidence of his blossoming partnership with Neale Fenn, but he could find himself deployed as a lone striker in the event manager Michael O’Neill decides avoiding defeat is the first priority and, as he did at Richmond Park last month, opts to go with five across the middle.

Whatever the northerner’s tactical preference, he will have to make at least one change with Danny Murphy ruled out after being sent off in injury time against UCD while Robert Bayly is also suspended having received a red card when he came on in the game. Dan Murray is still injured.

“Obviously with the sendings off people will come in,” says Twigg, “but we got beat so maybe the manager would have made changes anyway. Everybody’s just hoping they’re involved. The manager picks the team and I’m sure whatever team he picks will be good enough to win the game.”

Bohemians manager Pat Fenlon will be making a few changes of his own. To date, the defending champions have just a point to show for their efforts in three encounters with their rivals although Fenlon feels the return sells his players a little bit short. “We’ve actually done well against them so far this season but not had too much luck,” says Fenlon, whose side is unbeaten since the clubs last met, in early August in Tallaght where the hosts ran out 3-0 winners.

Bohemians, he admits, need to come out on top if they are to be in with a serious shout of leapfrogging Rovers during the run in but Fenlon plays down the idea last Friday’s draw at home to Bray Wanderers was a major chance lost given the result at Belfield. “Obviously with them losing you’re regretting the points dropped against Bray but to be honest we would have been happy enough before those two games with going into this match six points behind with a chance of beating them so we’ll take being five behind now.

“They could still drop a lot of points over the last few games but really we’ve got to win this one, if we do that then it gives us a real chance. I feel if we play well on the day, we can beat anyone. I don’t want to take anything away from Bray, they did really well, they’re not conceding many goals at the moment. But we didn’t have a left-sided player which makes it difficult when you’re trying to make the pitch as big as possible for the opposition.

“We have Killian Brennan and Conor Powell back and they’ll help on that front. We’ll have a few missing too (Chris O’Connor and Mark Quigley are suspended while Gareth McGlynn, Owen Heary and Jason McGuinness as well as long-term absentees Steven Gray and Anto Murphy are all injured) but we’ll put a very decent team out there and I’d give us every chance of beating them.”

There are significant games elsewhere this evening in the races to finish third and avoid the drop with St Patrick’s Athletic heading to Drogheda, and Sligo hosting Bray. St Patrick’s manager Pete Mahon has Derek Pender and Ian Bermingham back from suspension for the trip to United Park but Stuart Byrne (groin) and Damien Lynch (ankle) are doubts and Gareth Coughlan and Shane Guthrie are out. United have Glen Fitzpatrick back, Brendan McGill out and doubts over Eric McGill.

Paul Cook’s major concern is Romauld Boco who will discover the extent of an ankle ligament injury later this week. The Benin international is out of tonight’s game against Wanderers as are long-term absentees Mauro Almeida and Richard Brush.

The visitors are missing Jake Kelly, John Mulroy, Stephen Brennan and Seán Houston while Matt Gregg is a doubt.

Tonights fixtures: Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers, Dalymount Park, 7.05 (Live on RTÉ 2); Drogheda United v St Patricks Athletic, Hunky Dorys Park, 7.45; Sligo Rovers v Bray Wanderers, The Showgrounds, 7.45