League of Ireland preview:With their FAI Cup ambitions having been knocked on the head by Bohemians last week, Drogheda United are again hit by injuries and suspensions as they resume their championship pursuit of St Patrick's Athletic at the Brandywell this evening.

Paul Doolin is without nine players for the journey, including newly-injured goalkeeper Mikko Vilmunen and suspended duo Graham Gartland and Shane Robinson.

"We're disappointed to be out of the cup but we've been battered again by having so many players out," says Doolin. "All we can do is try to pull together and hang in there until we get at least a few of the bodies back over the next few weeks."

Both sides could do with a win but the formbook points strongly to a draw. United have averaged just a point a game from their last six league outings and City have drawn each of their last four league outings.

"We haven't played too badly but we need to turn a few of the draws into wins," says interim City manager Peter Hutton who is without Paddy McCourt, Alan Moore and longer term injury absentee, Greg O'Halloran.

Also needing to get back on track, although with slightly less urgency perhaps, are the league leaders themselves, who have lost their last two league games. John McDonnell, who confirmed yesterday he will make a written offer for Cardiff City striker Jason Byrne over the next few days, will again have to do without Joseph Ndo for the short trip to Bray, while Keith Fahey and John Frost are doubts due to hamstring problems.

"We're making a lot of phonecalls," says McDonnell of the ongoing efforts to get new players in, "but it's not as easy as you'd want. As far as Jason is concerned, he has a lot of options in England and we know we're not in the league to pay what Cardiff paid for him but we've spoken to his representatives and if he wants to come home then we'd certainly look at him as somebody who knows his way around the league. We'd like to bring him here and we'll definitely be putting something together over the next few days."

In the night's other games, Galway must take on Shamrock Rovers without the injured Alan Murphy but the Dubliners are missing Paul Shiels, Eric McGill, Aidan Price and Barry Murphy (all inured) and Danny O'Connor (suspended).

Paul Crowley returns to the UCD squad after suspension but Pat McWalter and Ronan Finn are still injured while Stephen Manson will be missing from the Sligo team due to a hamstring problem.