Shamrock have scored in each of their home games this season, and will obviously hope that some of the many chances they are creating start going in. A 2-0 defeat at UCD is fairly stark though, if you are looking for indications that this isn’t just a team short on luck and small margins away from turning draws into wins. That doesn’t really explain why they are ten points behind the league leaders, and if they lose and find themselves 13 behind, patience will be severely tested. The bet that appeals is the draw, something that neither team would be too disappointed at. Despite the home team’s need being greater, Sligo are capable of avoiding defeat.

The above bet on the draw will be seen by many as a safe bet, but there could well be another share of the spoils that is somewhat less expected by neutrals, and it is our trip to Drogheda. The home side may well have one eye on their Setanta Cup final date next weekend, and may be without Alan Byrne, Derek Prendergast, and Ryan Brennan. Declan O’Brien is always a threat against us but even in the absence of Stephen Paisley, we have a team capable of building on the confidence injected by the Inchicore result, and sneak a point here.

It is difficult to pick much else to bet on in this series of fixtures, and there may well be some more draws, considering that teams are going into an intense period of fixtures with little recovery time. What you may see in such circumstances is teams reluctant to really commit towards the end of games, and this is good news for draw backers. St Pat’s wouldn’t be too upset at a draw at Cork, who will be in good spirits following their late comeback against Bray. Bray themselves host Dundalk, who despite their fine start to the season might be slightly over-rated at 4/5 away from home.

Derry and Limerick is another one that looks hard to call, with Derry perhaps more stylish as a road team when they don’t have to patiently break through the sort of defensive masses that visitors to the Brandywell often present them with.

Finally, consider a squeak on UCD to beat Shelbourne. After almost a full series of fixtures, we can probably deduce that Shels have serious problems indeed, even apart from their disciplinary record. UCD will be delighted at last Friday’s home win and won’t have any fear of going to Tolka in search of all 3 points.

Recommended:
Shamrock – Sligo draw, 1pt 9/4 (Coral)
Drogheda – Bohs draw, 1pt 11/4 (BetVictor)
UCD, 1pt 21/10 (Coral)

Produced by Peter O’Doherty (podproductions.ie).
Interview by Robert O’Reardon.
Intro by Ray O’Hanlon.

“With so many changes, and so many younger players coming in, I was over the moon to get that result”.

With four of the most experienced players unable to play, even more responsibility than usual fell on Dave Mulcahy and goalkeeper Dean Delany. The No. 1 was, in Callaghan’s view, “exceptional, making three or four fantastic saves towards the end” and Mulcahy’s was rated by his manager as “one of the best individual performances I have seen in the league”.

Bohemians are well aware that Drogheda United have proven very difficult to beat. Last season, Bohemians had one draw and three defeats in league and league cup encounters with the Drogs. Just a month after Friday’s match, Bohs face Drogheda again in the FAI Cup.

“We’ve got to respect them and we’ll do our usual analysis on how they are playing but we have to concentrate on our own performance and on our shape,” said Callaghan.

“We’re getting more players forward, which has certainly helped us. We looked dangerous on the break against Pat’s. As much as they had chances to win it, we definitely had one or two chances to nick it.”

Bohemians secured their point last Monday with 19-year-old Conor O’Brien making his league debut, and 19-year-olds Andy Mulligan and Michael Barker starting for just the second time.

Callaghan has now started 22 players from his squad and it is likely he will have to draw on more, as Stephen Paisley has left the squad due to work commitments outside football and Darragh Hanaphy is on a temporary break also due to work commitments.

With Paisley off the payroll, Aaron Callaghan has some flexibility in his modest budget and is looking to bring in a striker.

For Friday, Owen Heary (knee) remains sidelined, while Derek Pender (bruised ribs) and Dave Scully (hamstring) face late fitness tests before Friday’s game.

At the other end of the age spectrum, 17-year-old Adam Kelly is now training with the senior squad. He joins defender Michael Scott, just turned 19, who has taken the squad number 23 vacated by the departing Niall Forrester.

As if that wasn’t enough, we were given  FIVE COPIES of the game to give away on our Facebook page. The five winners of the game are:  Alan Byrne, Simon Wielens, Mick Slater, Fergus Lynch and Fergie Cronin.

A big thank-you to EA Sports for the prizes!

Bohs made the short trip across the city without the injured Derek Pender and Dave Scully. Conor O’Brien and Dwayne Wilson were drafted into the 3-5-2 formation that began the game against Bray Wanderers on Friday. Initial signs were good, with the visitors’ tactics seeming to catch St Pats off guard in the opening quarter. Chris Lyons was a constant menace, and he created the first chance of the game for himself after 4 minutes. He collected Andy Mulligan’s cross, swiveled on a sixpence, and fired over the bar all in one movement. How many more points would Bohs have if the former UCD striker hadn’t missed half of the 10 league games so far?

Bohs were definitely the brighter team, with Lyons again causing trouble for the Pats defence. He received the ball out on the right from Wilson, and skipped past the lunging Kenny Browne inside the box. The Bohs crowd in the Shed End begged, nay,  implored Lyons to go down, but the honest striker stayed on his feet and crossed for Wilson, whose eventual pass toward Mulligan came to nothing.

With the Gypsies bossing the opening half hour, a sucker punch was almost inevitable, and it came courtesy of ex-Bohs striker Anto Flood. Putting it kindly, Dean Delany is struggling for confidence, and he wont be happy again with his role in the opening goal here. A routine short corner wasn’t reacted to by the Bohs defence, and the cross was floated in by Ian Bermingham. Delany came, flapped, and didnt connect, leaving ‘Bisto’ Flood with the simple task of rising above Luke Byrne to head the Saints into the lead.

The home side’s confidence grew from that point, and they really took control before and after half time. Kevin Devaney came on for the struggling Conor O’Brien at the break, but Pats were well on top by that stage. Delany spilled a Bermingham shot, but recovered in time to collect in front of an on-coming Flood. The introduction of Jake Kelly for Pats added an extra dimension to their game. His slid pass found Conan Byrne who dinked it over Delany, only for Roberto Lopes to clear off the line. Just a minute later, Kelly again found Byrne with a low cross, but the ball inexplicably came back off the crossbar.

A rare glimpse of the Pats goal came for Bohs on 70 minutes when Michael Barker showed great composure to beat two players and let fly with a stinging shot that Brandan Clarke tipped over the bar. From the resulting corner, Ryan McEvoy’s whipped cross was met with blunt force by Dave Mulcahy at the near post. Two men on the line couldnt stop it, and Bohs had smash-and-grabbed an equaliser!

Almost instantly, Pats hit the woodwork again, Conor Kenna’s header was clawed onto the post by Delany, as the home side searched for a winner. Up stepped Mulcahy, who started to produce a string of amazing last-ditch blocks. At one stage, he had been laid out on the ground by a clash of heads with Christy Fagan – but even his prone, spread-eagled body managed to get in the way of a Chris Forrester shot. Jake Kelly blazed over from 8 yards after a slaloming Forrester run, and it started to look like one of those nights.

Bohs almost pulled off an amazing win when sub Shane Fitzgerald crossed for Lyons, but Conor Kenna pulled a Mulcahy-esque block out of nowhere to deny the quiffed forward a fourth league goal. Dean Delany weighed in with a couple of smart injury time saves to deny Fagan and Kelly, and a hard-fought point was amazingly secured. Next up for Bohs, they conclude the first round of league fixtures with a trip to Drogheda on Friday.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien, Connor Kenna, Kenny Browne, Ian Bermingham; Sean Gannon (Jake Kelly, 60), John Russell, Shane McFaul; Conan Byrne, Anthony Flood (Christy Fagan, 65), Christopher Forrester. Subs not used: Dave Ryan, Aidan Price, Jake Carroll, Stephen Maher, Conor Murphy. 

Bohemians: Dean Delaney; Roberto Lopes, Dave Mulcahy, Luke Byrne; Michael Barker, Conor O’Brien (Kevin Devaney, 46), Keith Buckley, Ryan McEvoy, Andy Mulligan;  Dwayne Wilson (Shane Fitzgerald, 73); Chris Lyons. Subs not used: Greg Murray, Ciaran Nangle, Michael Scott, Darragh Reynor, Kevin O’Leary.

Bohs Man of the Match: Dave Mulcahy

Callaghan had wanted his players to “put in a shift” and “give the fans something to shout about” on Friday. He changed the system to put more players up front, with three at the back.

“This left us a bit vulnerable at times. We were open to counter-attack and Bray tried to take advantage of that. But the lads did well and I certainly can’t fault them for effort.”

Callaghan was pleased with the performances of Bohs debutant Shane Fitzgerald and of lively winger Andy Mulligan, who made his first league appearance after an intensive campaign of college football.

But the schedule of two games a week is taking its toll on the squad. Callaghan will not have time to prepare fully for the challenge of an away Dublin derby and his selection choices are narrowing.

Several players have picked up injuries and will face late fitness tests. Derek Pender (calf) and Dave Scully (hamstring), who were crucial to Bohs’ efforts on Friday, are among the doubtful starters.

Stephen Paisley (knee), Conor O’Brien (ankle) have joined Owen Heary (knee) on the injury list.

The Bohemian manager expects St Patrick’s Athletic to improve this season on last year’s achievements. “They have a good squad, they’re on a good run and they have shown they can contend for the title,” he said of his former club.

Ex-Pat’s man Dave Mulcahy returned to Friday’s squad after illness and showed all the value of his experience when Bohs had their backs against the wall late in Friday’s game. His strength and guile will be required again on Monday, particularly in the possible absence of Heary, Paisley and Pender.

Eight of the last nine league games between Bohemians and Pats have been drawn or decided by a single goal either way.