Dundalk prepare for life after O'Donnell when they face St Pat's

Life after Stephen O’Donnell begins for Dundalk on Friday when the managerless basement battlers welcome St Patrick’s Athletic to Oriel Park.

A winless first series of nine games led to owner Brian Ainscough sacking the hometown hero on Monday and the search for a successor is extending beyond Ireland.

O’Donnell’s assistant Liam Burns and operations director Brian Gartland will assume duties in the meantime. “Monday was tough for everyone but the nature of football means you can’t dwell on things for too long,” stressed Burns, who will have Archie Davies returning from suspension.

“We need everyone to stick together, to get behind the team and the club, and help us move up the table.” 

St Pat’s stalled the gallop of Shamrock Rovers last week by beating their Dublin rivals and jumping into third spot.

Leading the pack by a whopping eight points at the quarter mark stage are Damien Duff’s Shelbourne.

Additional safe standing areas have swelled the capacity at Tolka Park to 5,750 and every ticket for their live televised meeting with Bohemians has been snapped up as the Duffer phenomenon catches on.

“I guess no matter how much myself and staff try to create that edge and emotion for when we play Dundalk or UCD, Galway or Derry, until the day I die I'll never be able to recreate it,” the ex-Ireland centurion said of another Dublin derby. “I’m glad it's come around because I can't wait to see a full and pumping Tolka - bring it on.” 

That passionate support will be absent for Shels’ next game, in Galway on Friday week, after they received an away section stadium ban from the FAI.

Duff spoke in midweek about accepting the medicine of a suspension arising from an incident where match official Dermot Broughton was struck with a