JON DALY has told his St Pat’s side their away form needs to improve.
Although the Saints won at Galway United on the opening night of the season, they have taken just two points from their six games on the road since.
And Daly said: “We need to start picking up results on the road, our away form hasn’t been at the levels we would want.
“It would be nice to come out of this weekend with six points.”
But counterpart John Russell has even bigger concerns.
They went into the last meeting between the sides, five weeks ago, in second but have slumped to eighth with no wins in their last six games.
Russell said: “Monday gives us an opportunity in front of our home fans to get a result and build some momentum again.
“We need everyone in the ground to get right behind us.”
He is without the injured Nando Pijnaker, John Mahon, Simon Power and Will Fitzgerald and the banned JR Wilson, with Wilson Waweru a doubt.
St Pat’s welcome back Jamie Lennon from suspension but skipper Joe Redmond (ankle) remains out.
Daly and co have also been boosted by the form of returning striker Ruairi Keating.
He scored the only goal of the game as Saints got back to winning ways with Friday’s victory over Drogheda United at Richmond Park.
It was just the 28-year-old’s second start since injuring an ankle in the first half of their win over Shamrock Rovers on April 5th.
Daly said: “I’m delighted for Keats who took his goal really, really well.
“I thought he was good throughout. He held the ball up for us and he won his headers.
“He’s obviously been out for a bit and was struggling.
“What the fans probably really don’t know and don’t see is that he’s been struggling with his ankle.
“He was putting his hand up and trying to play with that and help the team.
“So I was delighted for him to get the goal. It was another assist from Brandon Kavanagh.
“That creativity in the final third from him is exceptional.”