Dundalk FC hit by injury crisis ahead of crunch league clash

Dundalk FC will be hoping to get themselves back on the SSE Airtricity League winning trail when they welcome Sligo Rovers to Oriel Park later tonight (kick-off, 7.45pm).

The Lilywhites saw their four-game unbeaten run come to a crashing halt last week, suffering a 4-0 loss to Shamrock Rovers, who recorded their first win of the campaign.

Despite that heavy defeat, Stephen O’Donnell’s side remained third in the league standings, after fourth-place Sligo were beaten 1-0 at home to Bohemians on Saturday.

However, a win for The Bit O’Red this Friday night would see them overleap Dundalk.

“A lot of teams have had a similar start,” said O’Donnell after the 4-0 defeat last Friday.

“We’ll get a good viewing of them down in Sligo. We’re looking forward to it. I’m quite excited by the group of players we have. We just need to get to a point where we have everyone fit and we have options in regards what way we go about things.

“We have a good group here. I think we showed snippets of that even with 10 men at the start of the second half from a quality point of view.”

As if Robbie Benson’s red card in the first half last Friday didn’t provide enough of a headache for O’Donnell, he was also missing Patrick Hoban and Cameron Elliott, both of whom missed out due to muscle injuries and are doubts for the Sligo game.

“(Hoban) tweaked his hamstring from the Drogheda game. I don’t think it’ll be too long, but a muscle injury, even if it’s a minor one, you’re missing minimum a week to 10 days or two weeks. (Elliott) tweaked his calf in the game against Shelbourne last week.”

Another player on the treatment table for The Lilywhites is Louie Annesley, who has missed the last five competitive matches due to illness. But the Gibraltar international defender was in attendance at Oriel last Friday, and is on the road to a full recovery.

“Louie’s just had a really tough time, in fairness to him. I don’t know how you’d describe it, as I’ve never come across it. He just got a bad infection post St Pats which kind of attacked his groin area, a weakness in his groin area.

“He’s had a tough few weeks. It’s great to see him back now and back watching the games. We’ll obviously build his progress.”

In addition to those absentees, Dundalk have been without the injured Paul Doyle and John Mountney, who is likely to miss the rest of the season.

At least one positive from that heavy defeat was Daniel Kelly playing the last quarter-hour, having missed the 1-0 win at Drogheda United prior to the international break after pulling his hamstring in the previous week’s scoreless draw away to Derry City.

“It’s frustrating without a doubt,” bemoaned O’Donnell, when asked about the current absentees. “Tonight, we were without Louie, Paul Doyle, John Mountney’s obviously long-term, Cammy, Pat, so still quite a few.

“Daniel Kelly had his first day of training yesterday. Daniel gives us an extra dimension, so it was good being able to give him 15 minutes tonight, and then he’ll have a good week’s training under his belt.

“He’s been carrying a few little niggles, but he was out for so long from his hamstring operation, that it’s normal that when you get back up to full pelt, you’re going to be a little bit weak in certain areas.

“So if we can just get a good week of training into him, he’s obviously shown already this season the sort of added dimension he can give us.”

Those unable to attend tonight can can stream the clash via LOI TV at a cost of €7, or a season ticket which provides access to all games not selected for TV Coverage in the Premier Division, First Division and Women’s National League is available for €120.