LOI preview: Louth rivals well-placed ahead of sold out derby

Dundalk have the opportunity to move to within a point of the top of the League of Ireland Premier Division when they face Drogheda United in a Louth derby at Weaver's Park tonight.

With seven points from their last three matches, including a draw with unbeaten Derry City last week, the Lilywhites have recovered superbly from a slow start to be within touching distance of the top two.

Victory tonight would put them level on points with the Candystripes in a fixture brought forward by the home side due to St Patrick’s Day.

United can also take great heart from their current standing, seeing off relegation rival UCD last time in out in Belfield.

Even at this early stage, it seemed a noteworthy result.

College failed to win a match until May last season but hung in with a poor Finn Harps side to eventually escape bottom spot.

Drogheda have already shown they will compete with every side in the division. It may be a case of trying to avoid the ninth-place play-off rather than any thoughts of the automatic drop if they can keep up this form.

Indeed they can also move a point away from the summit by taking the spoils against their rivals. Louie Annesley (illness) and Paul Doyle (knee) are doubtful for Dundalk but Peter Cherrie is available again after missing the 0-0 draw in Derry due to a family bereavement. John Mountney (knee) is a long-term absentee.

A crowd of 2,200 will be present in Drogheda for the first sold out fixture of the St Patrick’s programme. Dundalk boss Stephen O’Donnell admits it’s a very different proposition going from Derry away to face their near-rivals, and that brought a level of intrigue to his preparations this week.

"Drogheda is always a tough place to go, as it proved last year when we got turned over