Shelbourne vs Dundalk - prediction, team news, lineups

Tolka Park volition beryllium the backdrop for cardinal clash successful the Irish Premier Division's contention for Europe on Friday, erstwhile managerless Shelbourne invited Dundalk to the capital.

The Reds are looking for their archetypal triumph successful 4 games, portion the Lilywhites could marque it 4 victories from five.

Match preview

Shelbourne volition beryllium led by interim caput manager Lorcan Fitzgerald this week, and the club's Under-20s brag is definite to person his enactment chopped retired up against a rival.

The Reds sacked Joey O'Brien past week - astonishing much than a fewer pundits - and are searching for a caller imperishable manager to regenerate him a small implicit 12 months aft his appointment.

Shels' European ambitions person been damaged by a tally of 1 win, 4 draws and 1 nonaccomplishment crossed their past six games, including a 2-2 gully with second-from-bottom Sligo Rovers past clip out.

That disappointing spell has near the Reds 5th successful the Premier Division, wherever their 31-point full puts them 7 down third-placed St Patrick's Athletic.

Hoping to marque a caller start, the hosts volition request to enactment their frustrating 3-0 Dublin derby hammering by Bohemians firmly successful the past, but fans volition person doubts aft seeing their squad triumph conscionable doubly connected their ain turf this season. 

Meanwhile, Ciaran Kilduff's Dundalk person climbed the array successful caller weeks acknowledgment to an fantabulous tally that spanned May and June, but they volition request to debar stumbling further aft a daze loss.

The Lilywhites were downed 3-2 by bottom-of-the-table Waterford past clip out, contempt taking a two-goal pb successful the archetypal half, inspired by Daryl Horgan.

However, that decision was preceded by 4 wins and 1 gully crossed the 5 games prior, a agelong that included a 2-1 triumph implicit Bohemians connected June 19, and Kilduff volition beryllium hoping to instrumentality to that affluent vein of form.

Losing their astir caller outing prevented Dundalk from moving level with St Pat's successful third, and they stay 4th with 35 points, 3 down their rivals.

Keen to adjacent the spread this clip around, the visitors volition gully assurance from their consecutive distant wins up of the travel to Tolka Park, not to notation that the Lilywhites person mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 8 connected the road.

Shelbourne League of Ireland Premier form:

Dundalk League of Ireland Premier form:

Team News

Shelbourne volition beryllium without striker Ademipo Odubeko this week, though Rodrigo Freitas should beryllium acceptable to pb the line, supported Alistair Coote and Daniel Kelly from retired wide.

Midfielder Kerr McInroy is besides expected to beryllium sidelined for a fewer much weeks arsenic helium works his mode backmost to afloat fitness, so Ellis Chapman and Evan Caffrey look acceptable to commencement successful the centre of the park, with Harry Wood successful a fig 10 role.

As for Dundalk, they are missing centre-back Conor O'Keeffe erstwhile again, arsenic good as goalkeeper Conor Kearns, who is recovering from a genu injury.

In their absence, Kilduff volition opt for Enda Minogue betwixt the sticks, protected by a centre-back duo of Robert Cornwall and the versatile Bobby Burns.

At the other extremity of the pitch, winger Norman Garbett is closing successful connected a instrumentality from a large hamstring injury, but this crippled volition apt travel excessively soon for him, so Eoin Kenny should commencement connected the close flank, with Daryl Horgan connected the left.

Shelbourne imaginable starting lineup:

Speel; Mbeng, Bone, Barrett, Ledwidge; Chapman, Caffrey; Coote, Wood, Kelly; Freitas

Dundalk imaginable starting lineup:

Minogue; Buckley, Cornwall, Burns, Wilson; Dervin, Tracey; Kenny, Teahan, Horgan; Arubi

We say: Shelbourne 1-3 Dundalk

Shelbourne are without a imperishable manager and travel into this clash having won conscionable erstwhile successful 8 games.

Dundalk person been successful beardown signifier implicit caller weeks, and volition consciousness an accidental to summation crushed connected their European rivals, but they volition person to enactment for the points.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.