Looking to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight during the closing stages of the campaign, Bohemians will aim to topple title-chasing Derry City at Dalymount Park on Thursday night in the League of Ireland.
The Bohs have now won just one of their last seven league clashes after defeat at Waterford last time out, whilst the Candystripes have managed to get back on track this month following a stuttering end to their May schedule.
Match preview
With matches at the beginning of June versus Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers being postponed, Bohemians have been afforded nearly a fortnight to mull over the 2-1 defeat at Waterford on the final day of May, when the visitors from Dalymount Park were unable to secure any of the points.
For much of the contest the Bohs looked set to force a share of the spoils after wing-back Dayle Rooney cancelled out Christie Pattison's opener for the hosts, but it was fourth-placed Waterford who had the last laugh, with the division's joint-leading marksman Padraig Amond scoring a 70th-minute winner.
After finishing inside of the top six in the League of Ireland for seven straight campaigns, Bohemians' recent run of a single victory in their last seven means that they could be heading towards their lowest placement since 2016, with Thursday's hosts currently in seventh, just eight points ahead of Drogheda United in the relegation playoff spot.
If the league standings were purely determined on home form, then the Bohs' status as a top-flight outfit would be under significant danger, with Bohemians collecting just 12 points from nine home matches so far in 2024 - only basement dwellers Dundalk (11) have managed fewer points in front of their respective home faithful.
Coming up against the club at which he spent a brief spell as assistant coach in 2023, Bohs manager Alan Reynolds will be striving to do one over his former employers on Thursday night, with the 49-year-old enduring a mixed start to life at Dalymount Park since taking the reins, winning five of his 13 matches in charge.
After finishing second in back-to-back campaigns over the past two years - on both occasions losing out on the title to arch rivals Shamrock Rovers - Derry City would have been fearing another collapse in the Premiership race this year following a three-game winless run to conclude May.
However, since the turn of the month, the Candystripes have recorded a pair of convincing home successes over Waterford and Galway United by an aggregate scoreline of 5-0, reminding current pacesetters Shelbourne that their first Irish crown since 2006 will not be easy to obtain.
It was a case of Derry's troublesome front two running the show at Brandywell Stadium on Friday night, when second-half strikes from William Patching and former Bristol City man Patrick Hoban sealed a comfortable win over a Galway side who are marooned in mid-table at this stage.
With 14 matches left to play in their 2024 league schedule, Derry are within striking distance of the summit of the top-flight table, just two points behind Damien Duff's Shelbourne, although the Reds have played a game fewer than their closest title challengers.
Scoring his 11th goal of the league campaign last time out, 32-year-old Hoban can only be matched by Waterford's Amond in the division's Golden Boot race to date, with the forward a proven one-in-two-game goalscorer at this level across his goal-laden career.
Team News
Bohemians remain without the services of Brian McManus on Thursday night, with the 22-year-old still recovering from an ankle injury sustained at the start of May.
The Bohs are also unable to call upon the talents of Robert Cornwall, who suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury during his first appearance of the term in February.
Picking up significant ligament damage last October, Keith Buckley has been sidelined for the entirety of 2024 so far, with the club providing no timeline on the right-back's return as of yet.
After beginning to cement himself as part of Derry's first-team plans in 2023, centre-back Colm Whelan sustained a knee injury and is yet to feature for the Candystripes in 2024.
As a result, the visitors are highly likely to continue with a back three of Ben Doherty, Shane McEleney and Mark Connolly, especially after keeping back-to-back clean sheets at the start of June.
Derry are short of options on the left flank due to the absence of winger Sam Todd, who picked up a niggling heel injury at the end of May.
Bohemians possible starting lineup:
Chorazka; Keita, Mills, Kirk; Rooney, Flores, McDonnell, Clarke, Connolly; Akintunde, Miller
Derry City possible starting lineup:
Maher; Connolly, McEleney, Doherty; O'Reilly, McMullan, Duffy, Dummigan, Diallo; Patching, Hoban
We say: Bohemians 1-1 Derry City
Despite being well in the race for the Irish title, Derry have been unconvincing on their travels in 2024, winning just two of their 10 matches away from Brandywell Stadium.
That being said, Bohemians' form in front of their Dalymount Park crowd is hardly inspiring either, so we are predicting a close affair and a share of the spoils on Thursday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
