Bohemians -v- Shelbourne

BOHEMIANS

Bohemians’ first home game in the league against Dublin rivals Shelbourne holds no fears for Aaron Callaghan’s young squad.

“Shelbourne had a fantastic year last year and they have the advantage of continuity over us. But we are on our home patch and we’ve got to go out and prove to ourselves that we are good enough,” Callaghan said speaking to bohemians.ie. “If the lads work as hard as they have in the last few games we shouldn’t have a problem.”

Making seven changes from the side that lost narrowly to Derry last Friday, Callaghan saw his team give “another very good performance” in a scoreless draw against Crusaders on Monday. Callaghan made the changes “with one eye on the Shels game and one eye on the [plastic] pitch" and the injuries that can be suffered on it. "But I felt the team we put out was quite capable of getting a result. You have to have belief in the players’ ability and the lads delivered on the night.”

Owen Heary was rested to ensure the essential experience he will bring to the Shelbourne game is available. Danny Joyce was also rested, as usual midfield starters Adam Martin (automatic suspension) and Keith Ward (ankle) are out for Friday. Also out are David Scully (Achilles), Stephen Traynor (nose injury) and Peter McMahon (flu), though Dave Mulcahy (groin) has returned to training and may be available.

Friday’s game pitches Callaghan against Alan Mathews, for whom he was assistant in Longford Town for several years. And it will be Owen Heary’s first game in the league against Shelbourne since he moved from there to Bohemians.

Heary’s experience of this and other Dublin derbies is an asset for Callaghan’s team. “He has a calming influence on the players. He has an important relationship with the players, particularly before a game, telling them, ‘We don’t need to panic. We need to focus on our own game more than on Shels’”, Callaghan said.

The Bohemian manager is continuing his work of building the sub-units of the team. “We have been concentrating this week more on crossing and finishing. We have had a lot of good play in midfield and build-up play from the back, but we need more spark in the last third, getting crosses into the box and players coming up to meet those crosses.”

SHELBOURNE

Following the disappointment of losing a 1-0 lead late on last week Shelbourne travel to near neighbours Bohemians on Friday night for the first of the season’s big Dublin derbies.

Whilst most followers of the game would have deemed a draw against the Westerners a very acceptable result for the first game back in the top division, the equaliser, deep into injury time, was a huge disappointment to all at Tolka Park, as they looked to have succeeded in defending their one-goal lead, which was the result of a terrific free kick from last year’s leading scorer, Philly Hughes.

Following the game, Shelbourne manager Alan Mathews, while disappointed with the way the goal was conceded, commented “There are a lot of positives to take from the way we played, the way we worked and the way we kept our shape. We played against a very good Sligo team. We took the lead. We should have kept the ball a little bit better in the second half – but we'll work on that as we go along. There is plenty to look forward to for the rest of the season.”

Mathews continued “There are a lot of positives to take from the way we played, the way we worked and we kept our shape. We were missing a number of players tonight through injury including Stephen Paisley, Kevin Dawson, Paul Byrne and Anto Murphy. When they come back soon we will have good competition for places.”

Of the four players who missed out last week because of injury, Stephen Paisley remains absent, while Kevin Dawson, Paul Byrne and Anto Murphy have been passed fit and are available for selection for the Dalymount clash. Barry Clancy is suspended following the accumulation of four yellow cards.

Referee: Alan Kelly.

MATCH STATS

Bohemians will be hoping to be more prolific in Dalymount this season. They only scored in 9 of their 18 home league games last season in the Premier Division with only Galway United scoring fewer home goals.

Keeper Craig Sexton and defender Evan McMillan are the only ever-present players for Bohemians this season, despite the club having only played four competitive games.

Owen Heary has won the league and cup double with both teams – with Shelbourne in 1999/2000 and with Bohemians in 2008.

Despite a mere 2km separating the clubs, it is the first league meeting between the two teams since the final day of the 2006 season. Shels won 2-1 that day to win their third league title in four years, however they were later relegated to the First Division where they had been until last Friday night’s draw with Sligo.

BETTING

Bohemians 7/5; Draw 11/5; Shelbourne 15/8

PREDICTION:

1-1. A young Bohs team against a more settled, but recently promoted Shels team. A game neither team will want to lose and they will probably cancel each other out.

Bohemians Injury News: Keith Ward, David Scully, Stephen Traynor, Peter McMahon, Dave Mulcahy (doubt).

Bohemians Suspensions: Adam Martin (1 match, red card).

Shelbourne Injury News: Stephen Paisley.

Shelbourne Suspensions: Barry Clancy (1 match, 4 yellow cards).