LOI preview: Unbeaten Sligo and Dundalk face off

The Showgrounds is the venue as Sligo Rovers host Dundalk, with both sides enjoying a satisfactory enough start to the Premier Division campaign.

The Bit O' Red will play their first home game of the season after starting the year with two away matches due the postponement of the Bohemians fixture. Visits that yielded four points, following an impressive 2-1 win against St Pat's Athletic and then a hard-fought 0-0 stalemate with Derry City.

Dundalk have taken five points from a possible nine after an opening night 2-2 draw at home to the Candystripes. It was the same scoreline away to Bohemians, before a first victory arrived in their Oriel Park demolition of Finn Harps on Monday last.

Former Pat's man Aidan Keena was to the fore in Sligo's win on the banks of Camac, with other winter arrivals Karl O'Sullivan and Will Fitzgerald also showing well. Against Derry, Liam Buckley's side were more resolute. Greg Bolger, before he went off injured and Ed McGinty in goals, stood tall against an early blitz, though the Bit O Red did create a few chances themselves before the game petered out somewhat in the second half.

Steven Bradley looks like an astute signing by Stephen O'Donnell.

The on-loan Hibernian winger turned the game with Harps on its head with a superb goal a minute before the break before teeing up Sam Bone for a second within a minute of the restart.

The 19-year-old then made it four goals in three outings to add to his earlier strikes this season with another cracking effort to give his manager his first win as Lilywhites boss.

Team news

Sligo Rovers: Robbie McCourt (muscle) and Greg Bolger (ankle) are doubtful and will be checked pre-game.

Dundalk: Mayowa Animasahun is back in the squad after recovering from an injury he