Season Preview 2008: Shelbourne FC

Shelbourne face their second year in the first division on the back of some promising pre-season performances. Shels’, in remaining unbeaten against Premier Division opposition, portrayed a disciplined and miserly defence in their friendly fixtures. Indeed manager Dermot Keely will no doubt have been delighted that his side conceded only two goals in the six games.

Impressive performances against Bohemian, St Patrick’s Athletic, Cork City and Finn Harps, each ending in draws, undoubtedly provided confidence, however there remain question marks over the depth of the squad. Assistant manager Colin O’Neill concedes that: “if [Shels] get two or three injuries at the back [they] might struggle”. However if Shels’ final preseason match against Bohs’ is anything to go by, the season could be far more difficult than one might like, with Dean Delaney and Alan Keely falling foul to hamstring injuries.

Given that Keely was injured, Greg O’Halloran’s addition could pay dividends immediately. O’Halloran was one of the five players signed just before the transfer deadline. O’Halloran offers great experience to the squad and his versatility across the back offers options to manager Dermot Keely. Captain Damien Brennan, although not fully fit yet, will more than likely feature in the season opener this Friday against Dundalk FC. Brennan is an important player and his return is a welcome one.

The Dundalk match, a home fixture, could offer a springboard for the year ahead if Shels can turn over their promotion rivals. O’Neill is confident that the squad assembled for the new season can compete for the title. Given the importance of winning the division, O’Neill said that Shels are experiencing “the pressure you like to have on you”. However the pressure has mounted already with the injury to Dean Delaney in goal. New recruits John McGuinness and Fred Davis Jnr are the replacements available and the unexpected chance offered to one of them could prove pivotal. McGuinness, the more experienced of the two, will more than likely be given the nod assuming Delaney doesn’t recover in time.

Key Signing:

The returning Greg O’Halloran. The experienced defender adds to an impressive but shallow pool of defensive players at Tolka Park. O’Halloran, who can play in midfield too, is signed as a defender on a two-year deal.

Key Player:

Strikers. Impressing in pre-season, Shelbourne’s campaign may well be decided by their front line. Despite only conceding two goals in pre-season, Shels didn’t score many more. It is up to Anthony Flood, along with Philip Hughes, Max Cream, David Freeman and Kevin Cornwell, to provide a contribution up front. Three of these, Cream, Hughes and Cornell are winter acquisitions and a lot rests on their ability to adapt to their new surroundings.

Key Fixtures:

7 March, Dundalk home. A strong start to the season here would provide Shels with a great opportunity to get a run going early in the season, as it is followed by away fixtures against Kildare and Monaghan respectively.

7 November, Waterford away. The penultimate round of fixtures pits Shels against a key rival. Away from home, this will be a difficult match and could well be a deciding one at that. This is followed by a home game against Limerick 37, a team who proved more than a match for Shels last season. These tough games offer a dangerous end to the campaign.

Shelbourne FC

Manager: Dermot Keely

Assistant: Colin O’Neill

Team:

Dean Delaney, John Mc Guinness, Fred Davis Jnr, Alan Murphy, Alan Keely, Dean Laurence, Greg O’Halloran, Damien Brennan, Robert Hedderman, Mark Rutherford, David Mc Gill, Mark O Brien, Stephen Doran, Peter Mc Glynn, Keith Dunne, James Keddy, Alan Mulcahy, Alan Byrne, James Chambers, Max Cream, Philip Hughes, David Freeman, Anthony Flood, Kevin Cornwall