Waterford United vs Shelbourne - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened Waterford volition invited European hopefuls Shelbourne to their Regional Sports Centre connected Sunday, warring to support their Irish Premier Division survival hopes alive.

The Blues could marque it six games unbeaten, portion the Reds are looking to physique connected their European occurrence this weekend.

Match preview

Graham Coughlan has revitalised Waterford since taking the reins backmost successful May, lifting the nine disconnected the ft of the array against the odds.

Last clip out, the Blues followed up their 2-1 FAI Cup triumph implicit Cobh Ramblers with a 0-0 gully astatine Galway United successful the league.

That stalemate marked 5 games without decision for Coughlan's side, a agelong that features 3 wins and 2 draws.

With that successful mind, Waterford correspond a importantly tougher hostile for Shelbourne than their presumption successful the Premier Division (ninth with 22 points) suggests.

However, for each the Blues' improvements, they are presently 5 points down eighth-placed Drogheda United, and volition beryllium hopeless to trim the shortage to guaranteed safety.

Even much concerning is that the hosts are level connected points with bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers, but having mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 9 location clashes - and winning 3 of their astir caller 5 - Coughlan's men volition beryllium assured of maintaining their region from automatic relegation.

Meanwhile, Shelbourne travel into Sunday's showdown successful mixed form, but volition beryllium buoyed by reaching the 3rd circular of Conference League qualifying earlier this week.

Manager John Russell, who near Sligo to regenerate the sacked Joey O'Brien, was appointed connected July 13, with 1 oculus connected the Reds' qualifier against Nomme Kalju.

The 41-year-old kicked disconnected his tenure with a penalty-shootout nonaccomplishment against Kerry successful the FAI Cup connected July 17, but bounced backmost by thrashing Kalju 5-2 successful the archetypal leg of their necktie six days later.

Shels whitethorn person been beaten 2-1 successful the 2nd leg connected Thursday, but it was capable to spot them done and acceptable up a day with Ajax astatine the Johan Cruyff Arena connected August 6.

Turning their attraction backmost to the Premier Division, the superior nine beryllium fifth, wherever their tally of 34 points has them 9 down third-placed Bohemians.

Russell's broadside person conscionable 12 games to marque up the quality to the European spots, but they person played 1 lucifer less than Bohs, and triumph connected Sunday could enactment much unit connected their rivals.

That being said, Shelbourne person failed to triumph immoderate of their past 5 distant outings, and aft seeing the caller brag suffer some of his truthful far, fans volition person their doubts.

Waterford United League of Ireland Premier form:

Waterford United signifier (all competitions):

Shelbourne League of Ireland Premier form:

Shelbourne signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Waterford volition beryllium without left-back Finlay Armstrong erstwhile again, arsenic helium works his mode to afloat fittingness pursuing a musculus injury, though Benny Couto should beryllium connected manus to commencement astatine left-wing backmost connected Sunday.

Jordan Houston is acceptable to run other from Couto connected the right, flanking a antiaircraft trio of Hayden Cann, John Mahon and Kevin Long.

As for Shelbourne, they are missing erstwhile Fleetwood Town striker Ademipo Odubeko, who has been sidelined since mid-June.

In his absence, expect to spot Rodrigo Freitas pb the enactment connected Sunday, supported successful onslaught by Sean Moore and Daniel Kelly from retired wide, arsenic good arsenic Alistair Coote from a fig 10 role.

Waterford United imaginable starting lineup:

McMullan; Cann, Mahon, Long; Houston, Glenfield, Johnson, Couto; Noonan; Lonergan, Amond

Shelbourne imaginable starting lineup:

Speel; Mbeng, Casey, Barrett, Norris; Caffrey, Henry-Francis; Moore, Coote, Kelly; Freitas

We say: Waterford United 2-1 Shelbourne

Waterford whitethorn inhabit the relegation playoff spot, but they are successful beardown signifier up of this weekend, and their location grounds suggests they could unafraid an awesome win.

By contrast, Shelbourne are 5th successful the table, but aft failing to triumph immoderate of their past 5 distant matches, they whitethorn locomotion distant bare handed connected Sunday.

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