League Preview: Shamrock Rovers II -v- Wexford

SHAMROCK ROVERS II 

Aidan Price’s Shamrock Rovers II team are back in Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon when they welcome Wexford FC to Dublin 24 – kick-off behind closed doors at 3pm. 

The Hoops’ second team are still seeking their first win in the First Division this season.

With Rovers’ senior squad playing on Sunday away to St. Patrick’s Athletic, it is less likely that one of Stephen Bradley’s group will be available for this First Division game.

The Hoops are allowed one outfield over age player (born pre-1999) from their Premier Division squad. Only Liam Scales has filled that function so far this season – he played in the recent 2-2 draw with Drogheda United in Tallaght.

Rovers have been unlucky not to pick up more than the three points they have garnered so far this season. However, they were the second best team last week when they went down 3-1 to UCD in Belfield.

Thomas Oluwa scored their goal in that game – Oluwa has also made one appearance in the Premier Division this season off the bench.

Should Rovers pick up their first victory of the campaign, they would move to within a point of Wexford in the First Division table. 

WEXFORD

Since the season re-start Wexford have earned four points from their two games post-lockdown and will come to Tallaght buoyed by being the first team this season to avoid defeat to league leaders Cabinteely – this followed on from a 3-1 away victory in Athlone.



"We had a good win in Athlone,” said manager Brian O'Sullivan when talking to his club’s media team ahead of Saturday’s fixture in South Dublin.  “We probably should have scored a few more goals on the night but the performance was really pleasing.  

“I think that gave us confidence going into the Cabinteely game and in the first half we were excellent. We played really good football and probably didn't create clear cut chances, but certainly had a few half chances with balls into the box.  

“Second half we didn't play as well as we wanted to, but credit to Cabinteely they stopped us playing by committing a lot of fouls and made things difficult. I do think a draw was probably a fair result.

“This is a massive game on Saturday for us and we know how hard it's going to be. We are going up there and expecting a positive result to keep the momentum going in the group.  We do need to do better in the final third if we are to get a result. “ 

Referee: Gavin Colfer

MATCH STATS



Rovers defender Sean Callan spent time on loan with Wexford last year – making 15 appearances at the start of the First Division season before being recalled to Rovers in July for the second half of the campaign. He made one senior start for Stephen Bradley’s team last season.

The Hoops have yet to keep a clean sheet so far this season.

PREDICTION
1-1 

Shamrock Rovers 

Injured: Unknown

Suspended: None

Wexford

Injured: Liam Berry, Conor English, Malike Hill-Benrouguibi, Colum Feeney

Suspended: None

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile