Dundalk have not played a competitive game in three weeks and have slipped to bottom of the table in that time
Jon Daly hopes Dundalk can jump-start their drive to survive by unleashing three weeks of frustration on title-chasing Shelbourne on Friday night. The Lilywhites slaughtered the FAI a week ago after last Sunday’s league clash with St Pat’s was postponed with less than 48-hours notice.
That was to allow the Saints the best preparation possible for their Europa Conference League playoff clash in Istanbul, which they lost 2-0 on Wednesday.READ MORE: League of Ireland season should be extended in future, says Stephen Bradley Daly and club owner Brian Ainscough blasted the association in a withering statement last Friday night, branding the postponement ‘farcical’. The Lilywhites have not played a competitive game since drawing 1-1 away to Derry City on August 9 and, in that time, they sank to the bottom of the Premier Division. Daly is itching to get back to business tonight with Dundalk’s situation becoming all the more precarious now that derby rivals Drogheda have hit a purple patch. Facing Shels tonight, Daly said: “When you get a positive result and performance like we did in Derry then you want to play the next game as quickly as possible. “Granted, it’s our fault that we didn’t have a game the following week due to our performance in Drogheda in the FAI Cup so we can’t argue or complain about that. “That was of our own making but with the Pats game getting called off as well, that game in Derry feels like months ago. “We did play Longford in a friendly at the AUL just to get the boys a run-out, which was good, but it lacks the same kind of intensity as a league match. “We need to try and remember that performance in Derry and remember that game now when we go and play Shelbourne.” It's a case of who wants the points more at Oriel Park with Dundalk and Shels desperate for the points for very different reasons. But with Drogs not in action until they face St Pat’s on Sunday, Daly knows victory tonight will lift Dundalk off the bottom. “If we can beat Shelbourne, we don’t just stay in and around Drogheda but we also potentially grab onto the coattails of Bohemians and Pat’s,” said the ex-Saints boss. “Having the St Pat’s game the following Thursday is also a positive for us and if we can pick up points in these next two games then we’d be right back in the hunt.” Daly continued: “It’s not nice to be in the situation or the position that we’re in. Nobody wants to be there but that’s the reality that we’re in at the moment. “We need to try and get points on the board as quickly as possible and try to claw our way out of it.” Shels boss Damien Duff has warned his players that Dundalk are in a false position as they look to maintain their title push. Held at home by Bohs last week, the Reds were knocked off top spot for the first time since March with Derry now leading on goal difference. Duff said: “We won’t disrespect Dundalk or their league position - that’s a false position really. They don’t deserve to be where they are in the table. “Oriel Park is as tough a place as anywhere in Ireland to get a win. It will take a massive performance from us to get a result.” Duff added: “There’s no hangover or negative reaction to last Friday. It was a Dublin derby against a difficult team with dangerous players. “The real disappointment is that we’ve dropped other silly points over the last six to eight weeks, rather than in a very tight derby.” Jad Hakiki is ruled out for Dundalk due to the terms of his loan deal from Shels, and Bobby Faulkner, Paul Doyle and Dara Keane are injured. Sean Boyd and Dean Williams are back in training for Shelbourne while John O’Sullivan is available tonight after injury.
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