Credit:
Shamrock Rovers -v- St. Patrick's Athletic
- P.J. Murray
- Mon, Mar 15 2010
Shamrock Rovers and St Pats meet on Tuesday night at Tallaght Stadium, kick off 8pm. Pats head into the game off the back of a loss in Setanta Cup on Saturday while Rovers are currently operating on a skeleton squad with injuries and suspensions to contend with.
Team News
Michael O’Neill will once again be without Rovers talisman Gary Twigg (calf) and Dessie Baker who broke his arm in Rovers opening league game. Aidan Price and Pat Sullivan are both suspended for the tie. Scottish defender Craig Sives returns from suspension in what is a small glimmer of light for O’Neill. Tuesday also offers the Hoops their first chance to show off new signing Robert Bayly. The 22 year old is an attacking midfielder who has been with Cheery Orchard and Leeds and Sporting Fingal from which Rovers acquired him.
Pats manager Pete Mahon’s only injury concerns are Ian Bermingham and Conor Kenna who both took knocks in Saturday’s game to Linfield in the Setanta Cup. Kenna who signed from Drogheda last season has established himself in the Pats defence and would be useful in counteracting Rovers’ Drogheda acquisition James Chambers.
Managers Views
Speaking ahead of the game Mahon said: “It’s great to have a big game like this coming so soon after Saturday’s result. It was disappointing to lose against Linfield but I hope the lads will have learned a valuable lesson from the night.”
Like any Dublin derby it will no doubt be helter- skelter for the first twenty minutes before things settle down a little. We’ll want to bounce back from Saturday’s game and we’ll be going all out to win the match from the start”
Michael O’Neill has a lot of respect for Pats going into the game. The Rovers manager said “I saw Saint Pat’s win their opening league game against Galway United and even though they lost away to Linfield last Saturday they’ve had a good start to the season.
“They’ve qualified for the Setanta Sports Cup semi-finals, have three points from their first league game, and we’d expect them to come to Tallaght with confidence.
“They’ve a lot of new players in their squad and they’ll be eager to show what they’re capable of in a Dublin derby – but we know what’s required of us.”
History
Rovers won both their home games against Pats least season with the visitors failing to score in any of their trips to Tallaght. The Hoops managed three wins in total over their Dublin rivals while Pat registered a win in their first meeting last year.
Confidence will be high in Pete Mahon’s side as they have been performing well in both the league and Setanta cup (despite the loss) and facing an injury hit Rovers so soon will give Mahon’s men a boost.
Dublin derbies are always a contentious affair, but with so many meetings of the sides however the bragging rights aren’t what they used to be.
Venue: Tallaght Stadium
Referee: D. McKeon
paddypower.com odds: Shamrock Rovers 4/5 Draw 9/4 St Pats 7/2
Shamrock Rovers
Doubtful: None
Injured: Gary Twigg (calf), Dessie Baker (broken arm)
Suspended:Aidan Price, Pat Sullivan
St Pats
Doubtful:Ian Bermingham, Connor Kenna
Injured: None
Suspended:None
Extratime.ie Prediction: At 7/2 Pats seem to be a big price, away win 0-1.
About P.J. Murray
P.J. generally covers Drogheda games at HD Park and can generally be found at any Dublin ground when of a loose end on a Friday night.