Dundalk will be hoping to win the Jim Malone Cup for only the third time in their history when they host neighbours Drogheda Utd at Oriel Park at 7.45pm tonight.
Since the competition was first played in October 1997, the Lilywhites have only won it twice – a 3-0 victory at United Park in August 2000 and a 2-1 victory on home soil in February 2010.
With no game played in 2011, it means that Drogheda have won the last three meetings between the sides in the competition.
Last year they won 5-4 on penalties for the second successive year after a 1-1 draw at United Park. Gavin Brennan had given the Boynesiders a first-half lead but a stoppage time header from Pat Hoban took the game to penalties only for Daryl Horgan to be denied by goalkeeper Michael Schlingermann in the shoot-out.
Incredibly, it was the eighth time that Dundalk had lost the Malone Cup on penalties.
Last season in the league Drogheda Utd ran out 4-1 winners against Dundalk on the opening day of the season at United Park only to be humbled 7-0 at Oriel Park in May. The sides then played out a 1-1 draw in Drogheda towards the end of the season.
Horgan, who has yet to feature in pre-season, could make a return to action from the bench tonight although Dane Massey is a doubt having suffered a hand injury last week. That will mean that Muirhevnamor man Shane Grimes should start against his former club, whom he captained last season.
