Shelbourne vs Shamrock Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers volition look to debar being drawn person to the chasing battalion by beating hosts Shelbourne astatine Tolka Park connected Friday.

The location broadside are 5th successful the array with 26 points aft 19 matchweeks, whereas their first-placed opponents person 40 points aft 20 matchweeks, and they presently boast a six-point pb implicit second-placed Bohemians.

Match preview

Shelbourne travel into Friday's clash having drawn 1-1 with Galway United connected May 29, a crippled that they dominated for ample stretches, lone to propulsion distant the pb they had taken successful the 57th-minute when Frantz Pierrot equalised from a country conscionable aft the hr mark.

The hosts person successful information conceded 9 times from acceptable pieces successful the league this season, a fig that ranks them seventh amongst the 10 competing clubs successful the apical flight.

That stalemate was the Reds' 2nd successful a row, arsenic good arsenic their 4th successful six games, and they scored 1 oregon less goals successful 4 of those matches.

Manager Joey O'Brien has already overseen 2 fixtures against Shamrock Rovers this season, drafting 2-2 astatine Tolka Park connected March 9, earlier losing 3-2 connected April 6 distant from home.

When playing astatine home, Shelbourne person struggled fixed they person triumphed successful conscionable 1 of their past 10 outings astatine Tolka Park, losing connected 4 occasions.

Shamrock's rubric defence has gone arsenic good arsenic tin beryllium expected, with the nine connected way to full 72 points, six much than they totalled successful the 2025 campaign.

The visitors managed to get the amended of St. Patrick's Athletic connected May 29, winning 1-0 acknowledgment to Graham Burke's ninth-minute strike, though it volition beryllium concerning to fans that the squad lone mustered 1 changeable connected people successful the 2nd half.

Boss Stephen Bradley's triumph past clip retired represents his side's lone cleanable expanse successful six games, portion they person netted conscionable 4 times successful their past 4 fixtures.

A triumph for Rovers would beryllium their 3rd consecutive success, and it would besides beryllium their sixth successful 8 matches, though decision would beryllium their 3rd successful 5 league contests.

The Hoops person been inconsistent connected the road, with the nine suffering 2 losses successful their 4 astir caller distant clashes, a play successful which they won twice.

Shelbourne League of Ireland Premier form:

Shamrock Rovers League of Ireland Premier form:

Team News

Shelbourne midfielder Jonathan Lunney was banned against Galway owed to an accumulation of yellowish cards, but with the prima present available, helium whitethorn beryllium an enactment to play alongside Evan Caffrey.

Striker John Martin volition anticipation that helium tin people his seventh league extremity connected Friday, though helium volition request enactment from the likes of Will Jarvis and Alistair Coote if helium is to beryllium astatine his best.

Shamrock cognize that they volition beryllium without striker Daniel Mandroiu owed to a musculus injury, and his lack volition apt pb to the enactment of John McGovern up front.

In the mediate of the park, it would not beryllium astonishing to see Matthew Healy and Jack Byrne paired unneurotic successful a treble pivot.

Should the visitors tract a three-man backline, Tunmise Sobowale, Lee Grace and Enda Stevens volition beryllium positioned successful beforehand of goalkeeper Edward McGinty.

Shelbourne imaginable starting lineup:

Speel; Mbeng, Bone, Barrett, Ledwidge; Lunney, Caffrey; Coote, Wood, Jarvis; Martin

Shamrock Rovers imaginable starting lineup:

McGinty; Sobowale, Grace, Stevens; Mulraney, Healy, Byrne, O'Sullivan; Watts, Burke; McGovern

We say: Shelbourne 1-1 Shamrock Rovers

Friday's clash is apt to beryllium intimately fought considering Shelbourne person struggled for goals and Shamrock's distant performances person been poor.

It is hard to abstracted the 2 sides, truthful possibly they volition yet person to settee for conscionable a point, which could unfastened up the rubric race.

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