Salthill Devon -v- Shelbourne

• Simon O'Gorman
• Sat, Oct 22 2011




As the battle for promotion and the First Division title enters its final stage long time leaders Shelbourne travel to basement club Salthill Devon finding themselves in desperate need of a win to maintain their hopes of finishing on top of the pile. (Kick-off, 7pm)
 


Having at one point enjoyed a ten point lead at the top of the Division Shelbourne find themselves lying in 4th place as the penultimate weekend unfolds. Following Friday night’s results Alan Mathews’ men lie four points behind new leaders Cork City albeit with two games in hand on all three of the clubs ahead of them, leaving their fate still very much in their own hands.
 


But Shelbourne have let some commanding positions slip over the past few years and there remains the fear that they might yet surrender another chance to elevate themselves back to the top tier from which they abdicated in 2006 following a well documented financial collapse.
 


Having lost just one of their opening 18 league fixtures Shels suddenly find themselves in a run of form that includes three defeats in their last four league outings. Promotion rivals Limerick and
Monaghan have both beaten the Reds in recent weeks with Waterford United adding another two weekends ago in their most recent reverse.
 


It all adds a certain unpredictability to a tie that the Dublin side would otherwise be considered firm favourites to win. Shelbourne have played Salthill five times in the league over the past two seasons and won all five, scoring 15 goals along the way and conceding just once.
 


Nor should the Galway club’s recent form give them any real hope of breaking the trend. In the eight games they have played in this third and final round of league games they have lost six and managed just two draws, a surprise 1-1 draw away to Limerick and another 1-1 draw away to Longford Town last weekend.
 


In fact Salthill have won just twice this season, both times against fellow strugglers Wexford Youths, amassing just eleven league points in 2011.
 


Alan Mathews will be without David McGill and Lorcan Fitzgerald for the trip west while Conan Byrne and Karl Bermingham are both doubtful. However he will have midfielder Colm James available again after he served a one match suspension in the FAI Cup semi-final replay against St Patrick’s Athletic last week.
 


Salthill manager, Paul McGee, will be without the suspended James Whelan who scored the club’s goal against Longford Town last week.
 


Salthill Devon
Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: James Whelan.

Shelbourne
Injured: David McGill, Lorcan Fitzgerald.
Doubtful: Conan Byrne, Karl Bermingham.
Suspended: None.

Referee: Conor Fitzgerald.
Paddy Power Odds: Salthill 14/1; Draw 11/2; Shelbourne 1/7.
Extratime prediction: Shels to overcome any last minute nerves and win
2-0.