Greystones FC -v- Shelbourne

• Simon O'Gorman
• Sat, Jun 04 2011


Leinster Senior League side Greystones FC take on First Division leaders Shelbourne in the FAI Cup 3rd Round on Sunday afternoon at the Carlisle Grounds in Bray. (Kick off, 2.30pm)

Greystones reached this stage of the competition courtesy of a 2-0 win over Bangor Celtic in the previous round, having been taken to a replay following a 0-0 draw at Archfield. The Wicklow club recently completed their league season, earning a third place finish in the LSL division 1A. Their reward for a successful season is to face a Shelbourne side that are looking good for promotion to the Premier Division of the Airtricity League come the end of the season.

Shels currently top the table, sitting two points clear of Cork City and Monaghan United and the Drumcondra side have lost only one of their 12 league games to date. Remarkably, the Reds have won five of their last six league games by 1-0 score-lines, with Conan Byrne scoring an 89th minute winner against Wexford last Monday.

It’s been 11 years since Shelbourne last graced an FAI Cup final, beating Bohemians 1-0 in a replay to lift their seventh blue riband trophy. This year Shels supporters might feel that they finally have a team with the depth and quality to worry the latter stages of the competition again and, while Alan Mathews will undoubtedly be prioritising league success, a decent cup run would be more than welcome on the banks of the Tolka river.

Shelbourne boss Alan Mathews has a fully fit squad to choose from with Stephen Paisley returning to training having recovered from a hamstring injury.

Greystones FC
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

Shelbourne
Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Unavailable.

Referee: Richie Winter.
Paddy Power Odds: Greystones 11/1; Draw 4/1; Shelbourne 2/9.
Extratime prediction: A 2-0 win for Shelbourne.