Dundalk vs Sligo Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation favourites Sligo Rovers are astatine hazard of being chopped adrift astatine the bottommost of the Irish Premier Division on Friday, erstwhile they question to instrumentality connected Dundalk astatine Oriel Park.

The Lilywhites are hoping to physique connected their gully past clip out, portion the Bit O' Red are hopeless to enactment points connected the board. 

Match preview

Dundalk were promoted to the Irish apical formation aft winning the First Division successful 2025, and though endurance would beryllium seen arsenic success, manager Ciaran Kilduff is aiming higher.

The Lilywhites are presently 4th successful the Premier Division, wherever their tally of 36 points has them 14 wide of the relegation playoff spot, though they are 7 points down third-placed Bohemians.

That spread to the European places has lone opened up successful caller weeks, fixed that Kilduff's broadside person mislaid 3 and drawn 1 of their past 4 league matches, portion Bohs person won 3 times and tasted decision conscionable erstwhile crossed the aforesaid stretch.

Dundalk's sole stalemate came past week, erstwhile they commendably held St Patrick's Athletic to a 1-1 draw astatine Richmond Park, taking the pb done a Daryl Horgan punishment successful the archetypal half.

Friday's hosts volition beryllium keen to usage that gully arsenic a springboard to get backmost connected track, but aft seeing their squad suffer 4 of their six astir caller location clashes, fans of the hosts volition beryllium wary - adjacent up against the division's bottommost club.

Meanwhile, Sligo find themselves successful a hopeless presumption this week, and with the menace of relegation looming larger than ever, are hoping to equine a comeback nether caller manager Darren Purse.

The Bit O'Red parted ways with erstwhile brag John Russell earlier this month, appointing Purse - who near his relation arsenic caput manager of Cardiff City's Under-21s - for the last 12 games of the league campaign.

On Saturday, the 49-year-old was successful the dugout arsenic his squad - prepared by interim manager Declan Boyle - were capable to unafraid a 2-2 gully against Drogheda United, narrowly missing retired connected triumph after Shane Farrell equalised for the Drogs successful second-half stoppage time.

Sligo volition people beryllium disappointed to person conceded truthful precocious successful the game, but the stalemate kept them conscionable 1 constituent down ninth-placed Waterford, adjacent if they stay 5 abbreviated of guaranteed safety.

With 11 fixtures remaining connected the Premier Division calendar, Purse volition person his enactment chopped retired to rescue the Bit O'Red, but defying the visitors' dire distant record, which features 3 consecutive league defeats up of Friday, would springiness the bottommost broadside a large intelligence boost.

Dundalk League of Ireland Premier form:

Dundalk signifier (all competitions):

Sligo Rovers League of Ireland Premier form:

Sligo Rovers signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Dundalk volition beryllium lighter successful defence than perfect connected Friday, without injured centre-backs Harvey Warren and Conor O'Keeffe, not to notation goalkeeper Conor Kearns, who is recovering from a genu issue.

In their absence, expect to see Robert Cornwall and Mayowa Animasahun astatine the bosom of the hosts' backline, flanked by full-backs Bobby Burns and Tyreke Wilson successful beforehand of shot-stopper Enda Minogue.

At the other extremity of the pitch, striker Daniel Mullen is sidelined with a musculus problem, portion winger Norman Garbett is closing successful connected a instrumentality from a hamstring injury, though Cian Dillon should beryllium connected manus to pb the attack, supported by Trevor Clarke and Daryl Horgan from retired wide.

As for Sligo, they person attacking midfielder Archie Meekison suspended owed to the reddish paper helium received against Drogheda, truthful Daire Patton and Cian Kavanagh should commencement down centre-forward Luke Pearce.

Elsewhere, right-back Conor Reynolds is moving his mode backmost from a semipermanent hep injury, and Jeannot Esua will reflector William Fitzgerald at wing-back, either broadside of a antiaircraft trio featuring Oliver Denham, Gareth McElroy and Sean McHale.

Dundalk imaginable starting lineup:

Minogue; Burns, Cornwall, Animasahun, Wilson; Groome, Dervin; Clarke, Teahan, Horgan; Dillon

Sligo Rovers imaginable starting lineup:

Sargeant; Denham, McElroy, McHale; Esua, McManus, McHugh, Fitzgerald; Kavanagh, Patton; Pearce

We say: Dundalk 1-1 Sligo Rovers

Dundalk are the favourites based connected their league position, but it would beryllium just to accidental they person struggled successful caller weeks.

Sligo are successful a hopeless concern and volition beryllium warring to debar being near down successful the relegation battle, truthful expect to spot a spirited performance, driven by the caller manager bounce.

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