LEAGUE OF IRELAND: Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick's AthST PATRICK'S Athletic travel to Tallaght for the first time this evening with manager Jeff Kenna looking to his team to tighten up at the back and build on last weekend's hard-fought defeat of Drogheda United.
That result was still a considerable improvement on defeats by Derry City and Bohemians but Kenna knows that Shamrock Rovers are likely to provide a sterner test in this first home game at their preferred Saturday evening kick-off time of 7pm.
Garreth O’Connor and Darragh Ryan for St Patrick’s are reckoned to be fully match fit while Dave Partridge is back from suspension so Kenna has stronger options than a week ago.
Rovers, meanwhile, were without injured trio Stephen Bradley, Pat Flynn and Ian Bermingham for the win in Galway where Gary Twigg’s goals underlined the impact the Scottish striker has made since signing for the Dubliners during the close season.
Corie Treacy has picked up a calf strain since but manager Michael O’Neill reckons he’ll have some if not all of them back this evening.
