Shamrock Rovers -v- Sporting Fingal

• Simon O'Gorman
• Thu, May 20 2010


Sporting Fingal return to Tallaght for the first time since last season’s FAI Cup final on Friday night to take on a Shamrock Rovers side that have the top of the league within their sights. (kick off 8pm)

After an unsteady start to the 2010 campaign Shamrock Rovers have lost only once in their last ten league outings and lie second in the table. They are separated only on goal difference from top of the table Dundalk. With the Louth club facing a tricky home fixture against Sligo Rovers the Hoops will hope to be top dogs come the final whistle.

But Sporting Fingal managed by former Rovers favourite Liam Buckley, represent a formidable obstacle to Rovers’ ambitions, as Michael O’Neill is well aware.

“Sporting Fingal have made huge progress in such a short space of time and while some people put that down to finances, they still had to get the squad together and get the most of out the players. You’d have to put that down to Liam Buckley; he is doing a fantastic job there.”

Currently in fourth place just four points shy of Rovers, Fingal have only been beaten twice in this; their debut season in the Premier Division. On both of those occasions it was Bohemians, the reigning champions that did the damage.

With just one defeat in their last twelve league games Buckley’s side are well organised, inventive with the ball and very hard to beat. They welcome Shaun Maher and Gary O’Neill back from injury for Friday’s game, though Stephen Paisley remains on the sidelines and Eamon Zayed is a slight doubt with a calf strain.

Aside from the 1-1 draw at Morton Stadium earlier this season, Rovers will remember Fingal from last season’s FAI Cup when they came to Tallaght and dumped the Hoops out of the competition in a quarter- final replay. “That’s history now, though”, says Fingal winger Conan Byrne, “and this Rovers side are bang in form and living up to their pre-season tag of title contenders”

Of the Fingal side that played that night up to seven of them are likely to be playing on Friday, although one of those; Robert Bayly, will be playing in Rovers colours.

All the indications show that there will be little between the sides on the night. Fingal have drawn four times on their travels this season and would no doubt see a fifth as a positive result. But Rovers will be keen to underline their championship credentials in front of their home crowd.

Expect Gary Twigg, with five goals in his last seven games, to be the focus of the Hoops expectations with Robert Bayly’s appearance against his old team mates a possible point of interest.

Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Pat Sullivan.
Doubtful: Aiden Price, Stephen Bradley, Chris Turner.
Suspended: None.

Sporting Fingal
Injured: Stephen Paisley, John Frost, Shane Barrett.
Doubtful: Eamon Zayed.
Suspended: Shane McFaul.

Referee: Alan Kelly

Extratime prediction: 2-1 to Shamrock Rovers