Rovers and Pat’s return to action

THE League of Ireland is back this week after the International break. Due to the mid season break we will be getting matches both on Friday the 13th as well as Monday the 16th so there is certainly a lot to look forward to over the weekend.

Shamrock Rovers are still sitting pretty at that top spot in the table. Despite being held to a nil nil draw with Galway United in Tallaght in their last outing they still remain six points ahead of the chasing Bohemians and Drogheda United. Their match on Friday will be against league champions Shelbourne.

While of course focus will be on the pitch and the game itself, there will be plenty of people keeping an eye on the sideline to see whether the Stephen Bradley vs Damien Duff saga is going to continue.

The two managers have come out with scathing criticisms of one another since the start of the league season and while both have acknowledged they want to put it behind them, a fiery match on Friday night in Tallaght could quite easily see tempers boil over.

The big matches do not stop for Rovers who will be playing current 2nd placed team Drogheda United on Monday evening.

Drogheda have certainly been the revelation of the season so far, finding themselves in a relegation battle last year they have grabbed the league by storm so far this season and were league leaders for a sizable portion.

It is vital for Rovers to get at the very least a point from this game as they will not only be on the lookout for Drogheda catching them in the table but Bohemians as well. Currently 3rd in the table but level on points with Drogheda, the northside outfit have a game in hand on Rovers and will be playing lowly Cork City on Friday before a trip to Waterford on Monday.

Two very winnable games for them. Rovers putting distance between themselves and the rest of the pack is vital.

Saint Patrick’s Athletic funnily enough have the same opponents as Shamrock Rovers, just on different days. They will be lining out against Drogheda United on Friday and will host Shelbourne at Richmond Park on Monday evening. Both of these series of games for Pats will be vital for them staying in contention for European football and possibly even working their way back into the title picture.

After patchy recent form they can take solace in the re-introduction of Aidan Keena to the squad. The Pats talisman is still among the top scorers of the league despite a hefty hiatus caused due to injury.

One would imagine that things between Damien Duff and Stephen Kenny are less likely to boil over than the previously mentioned Bradley vs Duff rivalry. Interestingly the pair have actually worked together before with Damien Duff being a member of Stephen Kenny’s background team when the latter was managing the Ireland national team.

If Pats can manage a positive result against both Shelbourne and Drogheda then that would really light a fire under their league campaign and possibly even jump them into the title picture.