League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Derry City

SHAMROCK ROVERS

Tallaght will have Europa League group stage matches at the venue next month involving Dundalk but Tuesday’s match in the stadium for Shamrock Rovers has a certain European feel to it. The Hoops take on Derry City with both clubs very much vying for European football next season (kick off 8pm). 

Tuesday’s match against the Candystripes will be Rovers’ 23rd game of the season and a win will position them a point clear of Derry City who are currently in third place having played two games more than Rovers. Last Friday night, the Hoops won 2-0 away against Finn Harps scoring twice in the second half.

“We’re playing really well and we played excellent again on Friday,” said Hoops boss Stephen Bradley speaking to shamrockrovers.ie ahead of what he described “a massive game”. Rovers come into the match in decent form winning three of their least four league games.

“The way we’ve been playing lately is good and we are confident going into any game and getting the result we want.”

Rovers are running a Bring a Friend for Free promotion for the game and Bradley’s style of play has brought some of the feel good factor to the supporters in Tallaght since he took over in the dugout last month.

“The fans have been excellent since I came in. We said we’d always attack and try score goals, and that’s what we have been doing. I have also said it from the start that the fans encourage the young boys which has been great for them and for me.

“The fans can be the 12th man and we’ll need them tomorrow. Fans can be there and it can only be a positive thing. We play well in Tallaght and we create the chances, then the fans will always be on your side.”

Sean Boyd was on the scoresheet last Friday putting in another good performance. The 18-year-old striker scored for the fourth successive game as Rovers found the back of the net in their ninth straight competitive match for the first time since 2012.

Both Boyd and 18-year-old league debutant Shane Hanney received praise from Bradley when he spoke to extratime.ie up in Finn Park on Friday after the final whistle. The Rovers manager described Hanney as a “Rolls Royce” before he went on the say Sean Boyd is “on fire” and how “anything Sean hits at the minute is a goal”.

You can read our interview in full with Stephen Bradley here.

DERRY CITY

It was a disappointed trip to the Seaside for the Candystripes over the weekend as Kenny Shiels’ men dropped two points in the 2-2 draw in Bray on Saturday. The previous evening Shiels was in Finn Park to throw his eye over his opponents in Tuesday’s game.

Derry currently trail second placed Cork City by just a point but the Ulstermen have played three games more than Cork (who face Bray Wanderers in Turner’s Cross on Tuesday evening).

“It’s a very significant game but we can go there and win,” said Kenny Shiels speaking to derrycityfc.net. “I don’t see why we can’t and that’s the attitude in the dressing room. We want to go there and win and I hope we can do that

“We showed good character against Bray so hopefully we can take that on to Rovers and show the same commitment and passion for the team. We’re massively under-strength but we have to make the most of what we have.”

Sheils has some squad issues as the travel to Tallaght likely without the services of recent signing Maximilian Karner (who needed to come off four minutes into the second half in Bray). Cristian Castells is also a doubt as he is still struggling for match sharpness while Aaron Barry and Ryan McBride remain out long term.

“We’re going into this game with two teenage full backs (Conor McDermott and Ben Doherty) which is not what we would have wanted, but at least the boys are getting games and learning from it. They are learning all the time.”

While the Candystripes have suffered just one defeat from their last 11 league games, they have drawn four of the last five matches. In their ten visits to Tallaght to date they have yet to claim a clean sheet. In the only game between the sides this season, City emerged victorious with a comprehensive 3-0 win in the Brandywell back in April.

Referee: Ray Matthews.

MATCH STATS

Shamrock Rovers, along with Sligo Rovers, have the best recent form in the league having accumulated 13 points from the last 18 on offer.

The sides met four times last season, three times in the league campaign and once in the EA Sports quarter final (which the Hoops won 1-0 in Derry). Rovers lost just one of the four meetings, drawing one and one of the two wins was a 4-1 victory in Tallaght.

Sean Boyd has scored six goals in all competitions from seven starts and nine substitute appearances. That is most goals scored by a teenager at Rovers since Noel Hunt scored 12 goals in the 2001/02 and 2002/03 seasons.

PREDICTION

2-1 home win.

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: Luke Byrne, Evan Osam.

Doubtful: Sean Heaney.

Suspended: None.

Derry City

Injured: Aaron Barry, Ryan McBride.

Doubtful: Maximilian Karner, Cristian Castells.

Suspended: None.