Dundalk vs Shelbourne
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Title favourites Dundalk will extend their lead to eight points, for 24 hours at least, at the top of the eircom League of Ireland First Division table if they defeat third-placed Shelbourne at Oriel Park this Thursday night (kick-off 7.45pm).
The Lilywhites have so far beaten every team in the league this season apart from Shels, who currently lie six points behind the pacesetters but who crucially have a game in hand - that being against fellow title rivals Waterford United next Monday night.
Shels are also one of only two teams to take a win away from Oriel Park this term, that coming in controversial circumstances back in May. Since that, the teams have met twice - once in the FAI Cup and once in the league - at Tolka Park. In the cup in early June, Dundalk avenged that defeat on home turf with a 3-0 victory, while the points, just as they were on the opening day of the campaign in March, were shared in a scoreless draw in the league meeting in July.
Both teams come into this game in winning form. 24 hours after Dundalk trounced Kildare County 4-1, Shels netted a vital late win in Limerick. And, Lilywhites striker Dessie Baker, who scored his first club goals against County, has admitted that that win was essential ahead of this week’s much anticipated clash. “It was important to get the win last week and to keep up the pressure on the teams around us,” Baker told dundalkfc.com. “Shels is a big game for us and we needed to get that victory against Kildare to lift confidence ahead of this.
“There was a big difference in the dressing-room after the game last Thursday, and, hopefully, we can carry that into this game now and get another win.”
Dundalk will have to do without three of their most experienced players for this fixture, as right-back and captain John Flanagan and left-back David Crawley are both suspended, while hitman Trevor Vaughan is getting married in Spain. On the plus side, central midfielder and joint-top goalscorer Paul Crowley returns after a one-match ban, while striker Robbie Martin and centre-half Aidan Lynch could both make their first appearances in almost three months. Left winger Derek Doyle, who failed to recover from a knock in time to face Kildare, could also come back into contention.
For Shels, on-loan midfielder David McAllister, who has shown a keen eye for goal in recent weeks, and left winger Gary McCabe, are both suspended. Shelbourne have no injury worries.
Extratime.ie Prediction by Gareth Penrose: Shels need this win to have any hope of being in the mix, and I am going with a 2-1 win for the Dublin club.
