League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- St. Patrick’s Athletic

Eoin Doyle (centre) battles for the ball with Lee Grace (right) and Andy Lyons (left) in Rovers' 2-1 win in Richmond Park last June

Eoin Doyle (centre) battles for the ball with Lee Grace (right) and Andy Lyons (left) in Rovers' 2-1 win in Richmond Park last June Credit: Eddie Lennon (ETPhotos)

SHAMROCK ROVERS 

The Hoops home form in the league has been imperious this year – they have 14 wins and two draws from their 16 home games. It has been dropped points away from home and Derry City’s superb recent run – six league wins in a row without conceding a goal – that has made the title race so tight going into the final few weeks.

However, should Rovers win their final two home games – home to Pat’s this Friday (kick off 8pm) and Sunday week against Derry – the Hoops will be champions again. On the road Rovers have only claimed six points from their last five games with their most recent result being a 1-1 draw in Drogheda. 

Speaking about that game with shamrockrovers.ie Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley said he was “very pleased with how we started the game. We were very bright, created some opportunities and scored the goal (through Graham Burke’s 10th strike of the season). Neil (Farrugia) was causing them a lot of problems down that side and created the goal.

“We allowed Drogheda into the game, they created opportunities, and that wasn’t something that we were happy with. We had good opportunities to punish them in the final third, but we were half a yard offside, or maybe the ball was played too hard, and that happens at times. It’s difficult when there are so many players dotted across the 18 yard line, you have to be really precise with your timing and passing to make a breakthrough.”

Alan Mannus, who made his 200th league appearance for the Hoops against Drogheda, made way for Leon Pohls in the second half but Bradley believes his number one goalkeeper will be available to him on Friday night, although Gary O’Neill is a doubt.

“Alan had hurt his knee against Shelbourne the previous week and felt it again during the warm-up,” said Bradley. “He felt it getting stiffer as the game progressed, hopefully, he will be ok.”

When the teams last met, the Hoops won 2-1 in Richmond Park thanks to goals from Andy Lyons and Aaron Greene but St. Patrick’s Athletic have just one loss in their last 11 league games.

“St Pats are playing very well, they have some good players and they will be coming to Tallaght to win the game. We know that we have to be at our very best to take three points. 

ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC

The Saints travel to Tallaght in a tight tussle for third place with Dundalk (who sit in that guaranteed European position a point clear of St. Pats). Tim Clancy’s side are in a rich vein of form – they have eight wins and two draws from their last 11 league games. Their only defeat in this period was a 1-0 reversal to Derry City in Richmond Park.

A win would work wonders in their race for Europe (Dundalk are home to Sligo Rovers on Friday evening) and would put a massive dent in Rovers’ title ambitions. The Athletic did earn earlier this season their first league win over Rovers since 2018. Saints skipper Chris Forrester got the winner in the 54thminute in front of 4,871 spectators in Richmond Park. 

However, they haven’t won a league game in Tallaght for six seasons. There will be sizeable vocal away support looking to see that situation change with the Saints selling out their initial 1,000 allocation before securing another 150 tickets. 

Tim Clancy, who is suspended from the dug out for the game, said: “The atmosphere in Tallaght for our games there this season has been brilliant. We've had huge away crowds for the two matches against them in the President's Cup and the League, and we had almost 7,000 supporters there for the European game against CSKA Sofia. 

“It's great to hear that our away allocation has sold out. The away support has been absolutely fantastic, and we hope to give the 1,000 plus Pat's fans something to cheer about.”

In front of a sold out crowd in Richmond Park last Friday, Clancy’s side won their Dublin derby against Bohemians with Serge Atakayi, Mark Doyle and Tunde Owolabi grabbing the goals for the Saints in the 3-1 victory.



"We're looking forward to another big game in front of a big crowd in Tallaght. We are on a good run of form heading into the business end of the season and we're hoping to continue that tomorrow night.

“We played well against Bohemians last Friday and we'll need to do the same in another Dublin derby against Rovers, it will be a difficult game against a good Rovers side, but we're confident if we can put in a good performance we'll be able to get the three points.

“We want to accumulate as many points as we can between now and the end of the season and see where that takes us.”

It could well take them into Europe and should Derry City win the FAI Cup final against Shelbourne fourth place in the table would afford the Saints a route back to the Europa Conference League qualifiers.

Referee: Rob Hennessy

MATCH STATS
Rovers haven’t lost a league game in Tallaght since a 1-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers on 24 May 2021 - that is their only league loss at home in over three years dating back to the end of May 2019. The Hoops current unbeaten run of 27 league games is, according to Rovers statistician Karl Reilly, the club’s best since a streak of 31 league home matches without a loss across 1963 to 1966. 

The Athletic’s last victory in a league game in Tallaght came in March 2016 when goals from Billy Dennehy and Christy Fagan gave them a 2-0 win. 

This is the fourth fixture of 2022 between the sides but the first time they’ve played since June. The two teams met for the curtain opener for the season in the President’s Cup. Rovers prevailed on penalties to lift that trophy for the first time. The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes after Ronan Finn cancelled out Eoin Doyle’s goal. Chris Forrester peno miss proved crucial as Rovers won 5-4 on penos, with Jack Byrne scoring Rovers’ fifth and winning penalty kick. After the Saints 1-0 win in Inchicore in early March, Rovers defeated the Saints home (1-0 in front of 7,424 spectators) and away (2-1).

PREDICTION

2-1 home win

Shamrock Rovers 

Injured: None

Doubtful: Gary O’Neill, Simon Power

Suspended: None

St. Patrick’s Athletic

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Tom Grivosti, Tim Clancy

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