Credit:
Shelbourne -v- Sporting Fingal
- Jody Moylan
- Tue, Nov 10 2009
In what might be called a Cup semi-final given the nature of the League of Ireland promotion play-offs, both Shelbourne and Sporting Fingal will face off in this knock-out clash in what is the most important tie for both teams this season.
Regardless of Fingals’ exploits in the FAI Ford Cup, the real goal at this stage will be promotion to the top-flight. The spoils to be garnered for Liam Buckley’s’ side with a promotion spot, would far exceed any momentary plaudits that Cup success can bring. Raising gates and a support base is key for Sporting if they are to continue their rise from their recent formation in 2007. This fact will not be lost in Fingal’s dressing room and whatever the prestige of the upcoming Cup Final in Tallaght the real battle of their season begins in Tolka on Tuesday night.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out how importantly Shelbourne will be taking this game. Limerick 37 denied them a place in the Premier Division last season with an eleventh hour goal in the final league game at Tolka Park to hand promotion to Dundalk. All in Drumcondra will feel top-flight football is rightfully theirs after the disaster of imposed relegation in 2007 and like Sporting, Shelbourne as a club can only prosper and retain a foothold in domestic football by mixing it with the Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers of the domestic world.
Shels emphatically ended the regular season with a 5-1 away victory against Kildare County and just before that one; they took all the spoils in Balleybofey with a 3-1 against Finn Harps. However they dropped points against both Longford and Athlone Town in preceding games and while this will be some cause for concern for the Red’s faithful, Sporting will see Shels’ capacity to dip in form as a chink of light heading into this one.
While the season thus far has been highly impressive for Sporting they are not without their own concerns. They lost 3-2 at home to Athlone Town in the final game of regular league football and while their record of wins in the period before this is impressive (four wins from four in all competitions), their Achilles hell tends to be giving up goals and have kept only one clean sheet in the last six games.
Venue: Tolka Park
Last Encounters this season:
4/17/2009 Sporting Fingal 1 -0 Shelbourne
7/17/2009 Shelbourne 1-0 Sporting Fingal
10/9/2009 Sporting Fingal 2-2 Shelbourne
Referee: not issued
paddypower.com odds: Shelbourne 6/4, Sporting Fingal 6/4, Draw 11/5
Shelbourne
Doubtful: Richie Baker (hamstring), Alan Keely (hamstring), Peter Hynes (groin)
Injured: Kevin Doherty (calf)
Suspended: None
Form Guide (league): DWLWW
Leading Scorer: David McAllister (15)
Sporting Fingal
Doubtful: John Frost (hamstring)
Injured: None
Suspended: Robert Bayly, Robbie Doyle
Form Guide (league): DWWWL
Leading Scorer: Conan Byrne (19)
