League Preview: Shelbourne -v- Galway United

SHELBOURNE

Shelbourne search for their second league win in succession when they host ninth-placed Galway United at Tolka Park on Friday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).

Ian Morris’s side appear to have turned the tide after their stuttering start to the season with three successive clean sheets.

Last week’s big win over Limerick at Tolka Park has managed to lift the mood significantly around the Richmond Road venue with the manner of the performance pleasing the Shels faithful.

Speaking ahead of the game against Galway this weekend, Morris admitted the improved performances in recent weeks have given him plenty of selection headaches going into the weekend’s action.     

“Competition for places is fierce,” he told the club’s website.

“You can get a small knock and you’re out of the team and that gives someone else a chance to do really well.

“You know you’ve got to perform and get straight up to the tempo and level that we demand. You can’t just slack off, turn up and expect to win.

“Our shape is one thing, and another is cutting out individual errors. It’s also a case of the lads getting to know and trusting each other in our positions and roles.

“It’s coming together we’re looking forward to Galway on Friday but we’re not getting carried away with it.

“Just have to look at every game as it comes, as we see at the start of the season in any week, any result can come out of any game.

“They’ve only been beaten by one goal in tight games. They set up well with good technical attacking players with a lot of pace going forward so we’ve got to get our shape and set up right.”

Defender John Ross Wilson and striker Greg Moorhouse are Shelbourne’s only absentees as they continue their rehab from injury.

GALWAY UNITED

After last weekend’s big win over Athlone Town, Alan Murphy’s Galway United will be looking for two wins from two when they make the daunting trip to Tolka Park on Friday evening.

The Tribesmen began their season against Shelbourne in front of a bumper attendance at Éamonn Deacy Park.

Despite taking a two-goal lead, Galway were eventually pegged back by the Reds to come out on the end of a 3-2 defeat.

Galway boss Murphy admits that he is looking for a reaction from his side after their tough defeat at home to the Reds on the opening night of the season.

“On the first night of the season, we prepared well and performed well, but in a fifteen-minute spell, we made mistakes that ultimately cost us,” he explained to his club’s media team.  

“We’ll be looking to rectify that on Friday night. We’re concentrating on ourselves and we’ll be trying to build on the confidence from last week’s win against Athlone Town.

“We’ll be looking to firstly perform against Shels. It will be difficult to get a result at Tolka Park but we’ll be going there and giving a real performance that will go a long way to achieving that.

“If we can get a bit of luck and we don’t make any major errors, we’ll be there or thereabouts.

“This group of players, they’re still taking baby steps. This is just another step for them. A lot of the group won’t have played in Tolka Park before.

“Hopefully we can go there and get a result and it can be another positive for us.”

Conor Layng, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Jeff McGowan and Donal Higgins are all injured, Adam Rooney is  a doubt, but Colin Kelly may return following international action with Ireland Schools.

Referee: Garvin Taggart.

MATCH STATS

Shelbourne have secured three consecutive clean sheets in the First Division this term. Prior to this run of clean sheets, the Reds had conceded nine goals in six league games.

Despite lying ninth in the league table, Galway United have the fourth-best defensive record in the division.

The Tribesmen are the only side in the bottom half of the First Division table with a positive goal difference.

BETTING

Shelbourne 2/5; Draw 10/3; Galway United 9/2.

PREDICTION

Shelbourne 2 – 0 Galway United

Shelbourne

Injured: John Ross Wilson (foot), Greg Moorehouse.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Galway United

Injured: Iarfhlaith Davoren (calf), Conor Layng (cruciate), Jeff McGowan (hamstring), Donal Higgins (dead leg).

Doubtful: Adam Rooney (foot).

Suspended: None.