League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Waterford

SHAMROCK ROVERS

Third-placed Shamrock Rovers welcome Waterford to the Tallaght Stadium on Friday in the penultimate fixture of their Premier Division season (kick-off 8pm).

Some of the importance has been removed from the clash with champions Dundalk and second-placed Cork City qualifying for the FAI Cup final, a situation that guarantees Europa League football in 2019 for both the Hoops and the Blues.

That said, Stephen Bradley’s men will want to continue their recent run of good form and put a lock on third position.

A win for Rovers against their nearest rivals in the table (which would represent a sixth victory in seven league games) would do just that.

Speaking to the Shamrock Rovers media team, young Rovers midfielder Brandon Kavanagh said he wasn’t underestimating the threat posed by Waterford.

“I think they’re going to come and play,” he said.

“I expect them to go for the win. They’re good so we’re going to go out and play the way we play every game. We treat every game like a cup final.”

Kavanagh set up Dan Carr’s late, late winner in Inchicore last weekend and spoke highly of the Rovers number nine.

“He’s been very good, like the whole team. We’ve had a really good season. We’ve still two games left and we need to go and get the third spot.”

Kavanagh might have got on the mark himself with a header, which was saved by the brilliant Brendan Clarke. He also went close from a Joel Coustrain pull-back.

“It would have been lovely to score one of them. I’m still waiting for the first one but one of them will go in.”

Brandon is also involved with the Hoops’ under-19s, who face a league semi-final on Sunday but for now his focus is entirely on Waterford.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow night and seeing how it goes. We’re going for the third spot.

“We need to put it right now - go and win tomorrow at home and get the third spot.”

WATERFORD

Waterford retain a chance of finishing third but would need to win and then hope that they can better Rovers’ (whose goal difference is vastly superior) result next weekend when Alan Reynolds’ team host Limerick while the Hoops travel to Sligo.

Waterford’s run of three consecutive league victories came to an end at their own RSC last Friday when champions Dundalk scored two quick second half goals to take all three points, despite Dessie Hutchison’s late consolation strike.

Speaking to club’s media team this week, Waterford boss Alan Reynolds said he wasn’t too displeased with the Dundalk performance.

“We have no complaints about the Dundalk result last week,” Reynolds said.

“We used some players who had not played recently but had been training well and deserved a chance.

“We changed the shape a little and we had a go. The effort was there from us but the best team won.”

“We were missing players to illness and injury too but we’ll have them back this Friday. We’re all really looking forward to Friday.

“There’s a long history between the clubs and we’ve had three really tight games already and we were disappointed to lose the last game in the RSC.

“We know we’ll have plenty of support up there so that’ll help drive us on to try get a result.”

Referee: Robert Harvey

MATCH STATS

The last meeting between the sides at Tallaght Stadium in May ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Preston bound Graham Burke netted in the second half for Rovers to cancel out Gavan Holohan’s opener for the visitors.

After that May 11^th encounter, Rovers were sixth in the standings, while Waterford were riding high in third, just two points behind Dundalk and three back of Cork City.

Ally Gilchrist was dismissed early on in the sides’ first meeting at the RSC this season.

That put Rovers on the back foot and two Courtney Duffus’ strikes gave the home side a 2-1 win. Burke was again on the mark for the Hoops.

Rovers exacted revenge at the RSC in July when a second-half Gary Shaw goal gave the Hoops all three points.

Last five league games:

Shamrock Rovers: WWWDW

Waterford: LWWWL

BETTING

Shamrock Rovers 8/11; Draw 11/4; Waterford 10/3.

PREDICTION

Shamrock Rovers 2 – 1 Waterford

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Ethan Boyle.

Waterford

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.