Preview: Leahy hopeful Dundalk young guns can continue upward curve in Sligo

Dundalk FC are on the road once more later this evening as they head to Connacht to face Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds (Kick off 7:45PM).

After losing four league games on the spin, The Lilywhites have turned their form around, picking up eight points out of a possible 12 on offer in their last four games.

They are hoping to extend their unbeaten run to five games and will try to make it three wins on the bounce after beating UCD away last Monday night and Drogheda United at Oriel Park in the Louth Derby.

With Patrick Hoban and Robbie Benson named on the bench, and Andy Boyle missing with an injury, Darragh Leahy wore the captain’s armband against the Students.  

”I didn’t realise that I was going to be captain until a few minutes before the.com game,” stated the Dubliner. “It was nice to do it, but it’s not something I’d really think about.

“It's just a little thing you put around your arm and that’s it. I wouldn't pay too much attention to it. We had a few leaders on the pitch against UCD, so it didn't really make a difference, and I forgot I even had the armband on, to be honest with you.”

At 25, Leahy was an outlier age wise in the starting 11, with the average age of Stephen O’Donnell’s side coming in at at just just over 22. Leahy has been impressed with how his teammates have stepped up to the task, given the many injuries the group has had to deal with. 

“We were training the day before the game and somebody mentioned that I would be the oldest player in the team against UCD,” said Leahy.

“I suppose I’m a bit more experienced now. I had a few seasons at Bohs and this is my fourth year at Dundalk and I’m a bit older than some of the lads that have come in.

“The average age was young but we started the game really well and people are really stepping up to the plate because we are down bodies with injuries.

“As the gaffer keeps saying, it’s ‘next man up’ and everyone is getting an opportunity. When that happens, players have to take their chance and I think you can see that in recent games.”

Both sides go into the game with an almost identical record. Dundalk and Sligo have both garnered 19 points from their 13 games to date, winning five, drawing four and losing four apiece while both teams have conceded 16 goals.

“We played well in the second half of the Derry game at Oriel a few weeks ago and I think that was the little kickstart that we needed,” said Leahy.

“We probably should have taken three points against Shelbourne and then we backed it up with wins over Drogheda United and UCD so we’re on a decent run and we want to keep that going.

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“The league is very unusual this year,” he added. “If you put a string of wins together you can shoot right up and you can go from being down at the bottom of the table to being right up near the top.

“Sligo are on a good run themselves at the minute. They picked up a good win away to St Pat’s on Monday and they beat us at Oriel with a last-minute winner last month, so we know what they offer. But we’re in good form and we want to extend this unbeaten run on Saturday.”

Meanwhile in team news Robbie Benson, Andy Boyle, Greg Sloggett, Daniel Kelly, Louie Annesley and John Mountney are all out for the trip to the West, but Cameron Elliott is available after recovering from a calf injury that has kept him sidelined for the last eight games.