Preview: Shelbourne vs Sporting Fingal

Sporting Fingal travel the short journey towards Tolka Park to play against the side top of the eircom League this Friday (kick-off 8pm). The visitors have nothing to fear having earned a goalless draw at Morton Stadium already this season against Shels’ in the league and taking them to penalties in the cup at the same venue.

While Sporting Fingal might have felt embarrassed stuttering to a late draw against Kildare last week, Shels’ were seen off in style by Longford Town 2-0 in Flancare Park 24 hours later as both sides saw their promotion hopes dented.

Shels will be missing two players through suspension for this tie as Dermot Keely is faced with the rare task of fielding an eleven without striker Anto Flood. Both he and Mark O’Brien are set to miss the derby against Sporting through suspension leaving room for the impressive Keith Dunne to start up front with David Freeman and Greg O’Halloran to play his potentially final game for the reds following Galway United, his parent club, placing him on the transfer list.

Sporting will be missing three regular starters for the game through suspension. Star man Robbie Doyle, who netted his tenth and eleventh goals of the season last Friday to rescue a point against the lowly Kildare County picked up his fourth booking of the season and will be suspended alongside Dave Rogers and Colm James who are set to complete their two match suspensions.

Liam Buckley, the unnervingly friendly Sporting manager, is respectful of the task at hand, given both sides’ star strikers being suspended:

“Shelbourne were rightly one of the pre-season favourites to win the league and their position is a just reward for their strong form so far.

“This will be one of toughest matches of the season for us but we view this game as an opportunity to keep it tighter at the top of the Division.

Kick Off in Tolka Park, this Friday 27 June is 8pm.