High-flying Bohemians travel to Waterford looking for fourth win in a row

Frustrated with two home draws coupled to blowing a 2-0 lead in eventually losing 4-2 at Derry City last week, Jon Daly wants his Waterford to fully target a first win of the campaign against early pacesetters Bohemians at the RSC tonight.

“We want to make sure we’re difficult to beat at home and we feel we should have won at least one of our home games so far this season,” said head coach Daly.

“Bohs are a different problem for us in terms of the way they play and with the players they have. They’ve started the season really well, but we’ve analysed them and looked at ways we can hurt them.

“It will be a tough game. But it’s one we’re excited to get back to the RSC and get that first win.”

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Top-of-the-table Bohemians travel south boosted by last week’s rousing 3-2 win over arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers looking for a fourth victory on the bounce.

“I don’t know if it sends out a message to anyone,” said Bohemians head coach Alan Reynolds after that big win. “All I know is that we want to build on this and it sends a message to the group that if you turn up and you train properly and you prepare, you put in 90 minutes like that.

“I think we’re building all the time to something we want, but again this has to be, I’m not saying the start, but let’s push on from this.”

Second-placed St Patrick’s Athletic will be one side looking to capitalise on any Bohemians slip-up as they visit Shelbourne in search of a third successive win.

Shelbourne's Kerr McInroy. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Though still without injured defenders Paddy Barrett and Odhran Casey, Joey O’Brien’s unbeaten Shelbourne, top dogs in the Dublin derbies last season, will have other ideas, having registered their first win of the season in coming from behind at Drogheda United last time out.

“We’re in a run of three home games in the next four,” said Shelbourne midfield linchpin Kerr McInroy in referencing hosting Shamrock Rovers on Monday before games at Derry and then Bohemians back in Drumcondra.

“The atmosphere can be brilliant [at Tolka Park], especially in the Dublin derbies like we’ve got coming up. We’ll be looking to use that home advantage.”

The two preseason title favourites meet for the first time in the league at Tallaght Stadium eager to put jittery starts to rights.

Double winners Shamrock Rovers have delivered below-par displays against Dundalk and Bohemians while Derry have struggled to impress in four successive home games in which they had to come from behind with stoppage time goals, including two penalties, to salvage their seven points.

Head coach Tiernan Lynch is looking forward to playing on grass, believing it better suits his team’s style of play which is hampered by the artificial surface at the Ryan McBride Brandywell.

“It probably isn’t conducive to the way we want to play,” said Lynch, whose side beat Rovers in Tallaght in the President’s Cup season curtain-raiser at the end of January.

“No excuses, it is what it is. Obviously Philip [owner, O’Doherty] and the Board and the club have worked unbelievably hard and I think we only have two games left on the pitch before the work starts to change it, so there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”