League Preview: Bohemians -v- Shelbourne

• Patrick O'Connor
• Fri, Sep 06 2024




BOHEMIANS

Bohs play host to league leaders Shelbourne in the only Premier Division match this weekend with the Dublin rivals clashing in Dalymount Park with a 7.45pm kick-off.

The home side head into this match with an identical last five set of results to their opponents, each of them having one win, one loss and three draws on their scorecards.

The Gypsies 2-1 win against Shamrock Rovers was the standout result of last weekend, in a game played at the unusually early hour of 11.30am in Dalymount Park

The early start certainly did not affect Alan Reynold’s side, as they started and finished the stronger side and were fully deserving of the three points.

Ross Tierney (24^th minute) and Filip Pizzcek (84^th minute) were their scorers with Neil Farrugia netting for Rovers (15^thminute).

They are still in eighth place in the table however on 32 points, still uncomfortably close to the bottom two teams Dundalk and Drogheda United.

They will need to continue to pick up points before they can be eliminated from the relegation conversations and will be aiming to add to their points total on their home patch this Friday night.

Manager Alan Reynolds spoke to the Bohemians media team this week and he said: “This is going to be a really tough test for us. Shelbourne are top of the league for a reason and I expect that they will come to Dalymount to have a real go at us.

“They are not going to come here to sit off, they’ll come and attack us, so we have to be ready for that.

“We have had a couple of really good performances now and we performed well against them two weeks ago but we will have to be better than that again because Shelbourne have real quality that can hurt you.

“We have players who believe and buy in to what we are trying to do and what we are building towards.

“That hasn’t been easy when results were not going our way but I have to give credit to the group, they keep working harder and harder every week.

“They really wanted to give the fans something to cheer about on Sunday against Rovers and obviously winning a Dublin derby has given everyone a lift, fans and players.’’

SHELBOURNE

Shels play their game in hand over fellow title contenders Derry City this Friday night with the outcome likely to have a decisive impact on the ultimate destination of the league title.

The Reds currently lead the Foylesiders by three points and a win at Dalymount Park would put them level on games played with their closest challengers but six points ahead, a significant margin with only seven games then remaining.

They have the led the table for virtually all of the season and won’t want to falter now with the finishing line in sight.

To add to the drama at the business end of the season, these two pacesetters are due to clash in the final game of the season at the Brandywell on November 1^st, and have also been drawn together in the quarter final of the FAI Cup next weekend.

Damian Duff’s side came away from Oriel Park last weekend with a hard-earned 1-0 win over Dundalk to put them on 52 points after 28 games played.

Aidan O’Brien scored for the Reds as early as the fourth minute but there was to be no further goals, with the final outcome leaving Shels on top of the table with Dundalk propping up the table.

Duff, speaking to Shelbourne.ie in advance of Friday night, said “This is a fixture with pure edge. Other derbies in the country just don’t have it in the same way and can’t replicate it. The edge in a Bohs-Shels game is unrivalled; there’s nothing quite like it. It means a lot to the players, staff, and supporters, and we know what we have to do to win it.

“It’s one of the toughest places in this league to go and get three points. Our fans should know that what they saw last time, they’ll be getting that tenfold tomorrow. I know the players are willing to do anything it takes to win the game.

“I have warned my players that every game will be a massive test as we can expect teams will raise the bar when they face us.

“That’s what comes with being top of the table and being a team that not many people like. We can’t pick and choose when to enjoy being disliked.

We have to relish it, and use it to our advantage. It’s a challenge, but we’ll embrace it, and we’ll have to match it.”

Referee: Neil Doyle

MATCH STATS

This season against one another each team has won once with the most recent match a draw.

That game was just two weeks ago in Tolka Park which finished 1-1, with both goals coming in quick succession in the first half.

Danny Grant scored for Bohs in the 12^th minute but a mere two minutes later Ali Coote scored a goal of the season contender when he lobbed goalkeeper Kacper Chorazka from all of 40 meters to level the tie.

BETTING

Bohemians 13/8; Draw 2/1; Shelbourne 13/8

PREDICTION

Bohemians 1 - 2 Shelbourne

Bohemians   

Injured: Keith Buckley, Rob Cornwall

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Unavailable: Martin Miller (International duty with Estonia)

Shelbourne          

Injured: Dean Williams

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

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