Sligo Rovers vs Shamrock Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

Desperate to flight the menace of relegation successful the Irish Premier Division, Sligo Rovers volition invited defending champions Shamrock Rovers to the Showgrounds connected Friday.

The Bit O' Red are hoping to debar a 4th decision successful 5 games this week, portion the Hoops are successful contrasting signifier and could marque it 4 wins from five.

Match preview

John Russell's Sligo thought they had stabilised aft a tally of 3 wins, 3 draws and conscionable 1 decision betwixt aboriginal April and aboriginal May, but they are erstwhile again connected the brink aft a terrible downturn.

The Bit O'Red presently beryllium ninth successful the table, though they are conscionable 2 points down eighth-placed Drogheda United and could ascent retired of the relegation playoff spot with a win.

On the different hand, bottom-of-the-pile Waterford are successful resurgent signifier astatine the infinitesimal nether caller brag Graham Coughlan, and fixed they are lone 3 points down Russell's side, decision for Sligo connected Friday could person devastating consequences.

The Bit O'Red ended May with a 3-1 nonaccomplishment against Bohemians, and began June with 2 further defeats - 4-0 against Waterford and 2-0 against St Patrick's Athletic.

However, aft a 2-2 stalemate against Shelbourne past clip retired stopped the rot, immoderate supporters volition beryllium hopeful astir the hosts' chances, particularly considering they person mislaid conscionable doubly connected location turf since March.

Meanwhile, Stephen Bradley's Shamrock are eyeing yet different Premier Division rubric this season, and they volition beryllium keen to support their pb astatine the apical of the histrion this week.

The Hoops beat Scottish broadside Hibernian 1-0 successful a affable connected Tuesday, pursuing up a 3-1 league triumph implicit Galway United 4 days prior.

That top-flight triumph kept Bradley's men 7 points wide of second-placed Bohemians, though they volition beryllium wary of the information that third-placed St Pat's (38 points) person played 2 games fewer.

Friday's currency represents different accidental to adhd to their tally against 1 of the division's strugglers, but Shamrock volition request to gain back-to-back victories distant from location for the archetypal clip this play to bash so, having alternated betwixt wins and losses crossed their past seven.

That being said, the visitors are overwhelming favourites to travel retired connected apical astatine the Showgrounds, and aft seeing their squad triumph 5 of their 7 astir caller outings overall, fans volition beryllium expecting thing less.

Sligo Rovers League of Ireland Premier form:

Shamrock Rovers League of Ireland Premier form:

Team News

Sligo volition beryllium without loanee centre-back Shane Blaney, arsenic good as right-back Conor Reynolds, who is sidelined erstwhile again with a hep injury.

In their absence, expect to see Jeannot Esua commencement connected the close of a four-man defence alongside Gareth McElroy, Sean McHale and Sean Stewart.

The Bit O' Red are besides down a mates of midfielders this week, including Ciaron Harkin and the attack-minded Jad Hakiki - who has not played since April owed to a ft wounded - though James McManus and Carl McHugh should run successful a treble pivot behind Daire Patton.

As for Shamrock, they are missing centre-back Roberto Lopes, who is set to look Lionel Messi's Argentina successful the circular of 32 astatine World Cup 2026 arsenic a cardinal portion of the Cape Verde XI.

In presumption of injuries, the versatile Daniel Grant is unavailable aft suffering a musculus issue, so Jake Mulraney and Adam Brennan are apt to commencement arsenic wing-backs either broadside of centre-backs Cory O'Sullivan, Lee Grace and Enda Stevens.

Elsewhere, 17-year-old attacking midfielder Victor Ozhianvuna is retired of enactment with a musculus wounded of his own, portion striker Rory Gaffney has an ankle occupation and chap guardant Daniel Mandroiu is closing successful connected a instrumentality from a genu injury.

With Mandroiu improbable to feature, Dylan Watts and Graham Burke are acceptable to supply enactment for centre-forward John McGovern, who volition beryllium hoping to physique connected his extremity during his astir caller outing against Galway United.

Sligo Rovers imaginable starting lineup:

Sergeant; Esua, McElroy, McHale, Stewart; McManus, McHugh; O'Kane, Patton, Fitzgerald; Kavanagh

Shamrock Rovers imaginable starting lineup:

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

We say: Sligo Rovers 1-3 Shamrock Rovers

Sligo volition beryllium hopeless to flight the relegation playoff spot - and debar perchance falling to the ft of the array - truthful expect to spot a tone performance, careless of the result.

However, Shamrock are successful beardown signifier aft winning 5 of their past 7 games, and the league leaders should cod each 3 points connected Friday evening.

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