Shamrock Rovers -v- Bray Wanderers

SHAMROCK ROVERS
Shamrock Rovers, who drew 0-0 with FK Ekranas in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier on Tuesday night will hope to get back to winning ways against Bray Wanderers at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night (kick off 7.05.p.m).

Rovers have drawn their last two league games and currently sit in 4th place in the table, 10 points behind leaders Sligo Rovers.

Leading scorer Gary Twigg will miss the game through suspension after picking up four yellow cards.  Aaron Greene remains out with a knee injury.

Hoops manager Stephen Kenny was encouraged by his side's performance on Tuesday night but  believes that his side need to get a win on
Friday.  

“Overall it was a good performance and I’ll be looking for us to build on that in this game against Bray. Bray are a good side and have been causing problems for a lot of teams this year, but our home form has been good. I think if we perform well on Friday we can get a win, which is very important for us at the moment.”

 

BRAY WANDERERS
Bray, who currently are in 9th place in the table, have not won in the league since the first of June, although they did manage a 1-1 draw away to Sligo Rovers recently.
 

Kieran Marty Waters, who scored twice against the champions in the league in April, will miss the game through suspension after he was sent off against Shelbourne last Friday. Ger Pender will also miss out after he picked up a shin injury in the friendly defeat against Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.

However captain Danny O'Connor and defender Adam Mitchell will  return to the Bray squad after missing the Shelbourne game through suspension.  Defender Dave Webster, who missed Bray's last two matches with a knee injury and midfielder Sean Houston who was out last week with a thigh strain will also return.

Bray director of football Pat Devlin is looking forward to the trip to Tallaght.

"We are back to full strength now. Games between ourselves and Rovers have been great games and I expect Friday night to be no different.”

 

MATCH STATS
In the previous meeting between the two sides in the league this season, Shamrock Rovers came from 2 goals down to earn a 2-2 draw in Bray on April 20th.

Chris Turner, who is from Coleraine in County Derry represented Northern Ireland at under 21 level.

Jason Byrne scored two league hat-tricks for Bray Wanderers in the Premier Division during the 2001-02 season.

 

Referee: Alan Kelly

BETTING
Shamrock Rovers 1/3, Draw 7/2, Bray Wanderers 8/1.


PREDICTION
Shamrock Rovers 2-1 Bray Wanderers.


Shamrock Rovers injury news: Aaron Greene.
Shamrock Rovers suspension news: Gary Twigg.

Bray Wanderers injury news: Ger Pender.
Bray Wanderers suspension news: Kieran Waters.