Dundalk manager Martin Murray may make some "experimental" selections for tomorrow night’s League Cup clash with local rivals Drogheda United in a bid to end his side’s dismal sequence of results.
With just one win in the last seven games, Dundalk have worked themselves into a serious hole in the league and Murray knows they must start the upward climb soon if they are to stave off a quick return to Division 1.
Tomorrow night’s match therefore is less about progressing in the League Cup than showing signs of hope for their Premier league survival.
"I’m just glad we’ve got another match to try and work things out," he said this afternoon, "the fact that it doesn’t count for league points, I suppose, means I can experiment a little."
Murray is eager to make sure that is not interpreted as meaning his players will take the match lightly.
"We should be as motivated for this match as we are for any Premier League game. A win would gives us a good confidence boost, and I imagine the same is true for Drogheda since they’ve had two bad results recently aswell."
Murray did not reveal what changes he will make, but some of them will be inevitable, since goalkeeper John Connolly is ruled out with an ankle injury, and John Ryan and Donal Broughan are suspended. Striker James Keddy, out of action for the last four weeks, is close to match fitness but Murray has yet to decide if he will be named as a starter.
"I’ll wait until I talk to James tomorrow" he said "we may decide not to risk him, and save him for the weekend’s match against Cork."
Adding spice to the Louth derby is the fact the probable Drogheda line-up will feature three former residents of Oriel Park - Padraig Gollogley, Eoin Mullen, and Derek Delaney - plus Anthony Reilly who is on loan from Dundalk.