19.45 24 Mar 2015 -
Referee: Tomas Connolly
League Preview: Sligo Rovers -v- Shamrock Rovers
- Macdara Ferris
- Tue, Mar 24 2015
SLIGO ROVERS
Owen Heary has had plenty of tussles against Shamrock Rovers during his playing career but tomorrow night will be just the fifth time he faces them as a manager, and his first as Sligo boss. Tuesday’s game, which has a 7.45pm kick off, is a renewal of the Rovers rivalry between Sligo Rovers and “Shams” as Owen Heary is quick to call the visitors.
“I know that they are known as Shams here,” said Heary speaking to sligorovers.com. “There’s only one Rovers and that’s Sligo Rovers, and that’s the way it should be. We know that it will be a tough game but it will be an intense rivalry too. It’s important that we keep our heads and go out and do things properly, and do the stuff that we have worked on.”
Heary was a league winning captain under Pat Fenlon’s managerial reign at both Shelbourne and Bohemians but he has only sat opposite Fenlon as manager in the dug out on one occasion. That was in a 1-1 draw in Dalymount last season.
“Pat to me is the best manager in the country and that is what I want to go and achieve over the next couple of years. I know how he goes about his business and he does it very professionally. We’ve done that here since we came in. We’ve turned things around and made things as professional as possible.”
The home side have a little less preparation for the game as they play their second home game in the space of four days on Tuesday, looking to claim their first league win of the season. All that Heary’s side have to show for their endeavors so far this year is two points from draws against last season’s league runners up Cork City and the FAI Cup runners up Derry City.
“We have one day less to recover but we won’t make any excuses on that. We will go out and hopefully get the three points,” said Heary. “We looked back at the stats for the Derry game and they had one shot on target so again there is a little bit of frustration for the fact that we didn’t get the three points. But we are playing well and creating chances. I’d be more worried if we were losing games and not creating chances. At least we are being positive and going in the right direction.
“The results will start to come and people will start to see the difference. The team is new but they are doing things properly and I keep saying it will turn for us. From the start of the season to the end of this week (we) will have played four of the top teams that will be up there so it’s a challenge. Then we have a run of games where we need to dominate them and win them so it’s important that we get something from the two games left this week.
“We have this game and then another game on Friday so we don’t have much time to recover in between. So it’s important that other players come in and freshen it up a little bit to keep others fresh again for Friday’s game.”
Heary will have to do without Jeff Henderson (foot), Richard Brush (shoulder) and John Russell who will miss the game for family reasons. Norwegian player Morten Nielson is available and he feels this new Sligo squad just needs a little bit more time to gel.
“I think the problem is just that we are a new team,” said the striker speaking to sligorovers.com. “When you have so many new players sometimes it can take a little bit longer to get that luck and get everybody connected. I think that is just the issue now, as soon as we get a couple of wins then everything will be fine, we just need to search for that.
“There is plenty of confidence in the team. The most important thing is that the chemistry is so good. Everybody is so positive. We have been playing good games; we just need a little bit of luck here and there. It will come. Luck sometimes you have to search for it and that is what we are trying to do.
“I don’t think it is anything on the pitch, you just have to have that little edge to get the wins. It will be difficult. Shamrock Rovers is also a big team. We haven’t lost at home so far and I don’t think we should lose no matter who it is and hopefully we will get a win.”
SHAMROCK ROVERS
Shamrock Rovers bring their remarkable defensive record to the Showgrounds on Tuesday evening looking to equal their best ever run from 1984/85 of nine consecutive league clean sheets.
The two sides also faced each other in the fourth league game of last season. The Hoops would earn a win in Tallaght back then that would make it ten points from the opening four games. If they can claim a victory in Sligo, it would be a similar points tally for this season.
“It’s yet another tough game,” said Hoops boss Pat Fenlon speaking ahead of the game. The match will be Fenlon’s 400th league game as a manager, on a night when the Hoops are also seeking their 400th Premier Division win.
“We’ll expect a strong opposition from Sligo, who have some very good players. They have been dominant in their games so far, but they've probably been unlucky not to pick up more points. The Showgrounds is a good place to go for any side. There is usually a good crowd, a good atmosphere and the pitch is usually in good nick too, so we're looking forward to the game.”
The Hoops beat Sligo 1-0 three times in the league last season but have only won twice in the last 11 league meetings in the Showgrounds. Pat Fenlon’s men had won their opening two league fixtures of this season before Cork City stifled the Hoops at home last Friday night. The teams played out a 0-0 draw on a night when the Tallaght team missed their former Sligo striker Danny North due to a knee issue.
North is expected to be available on his return to Sligo following a spell at the club where he scored 25 goals from his 59 league appearances. Defender Luke Byrne missed last Friday’s game for the Hoops and the left back is unavailable again due to a hamstring strain. David O’Connor is likely to start in a back four, in front of ‘keeper Craig Hyland, with captain Conor Kenna, Simon Madden and David Webster who has impressed since joining the Hoops from Bray Wanderers.
Referee:Tomas Connolly
MATCH STATS
Craig Hyland has yet to concede a Premier Division goal for Shamrock Rovers. He claimed three clean sheets last year and has started all three games for the Hoops to date in the 2015 season.
Since summer soccer was introduced in 2003, the teams have met 27 times with the Hoops winning 14 matches to the Bit o’Red’s 7 games.
May 2012 was the last time Sligo Rovers claimed all three points at home against the team from Tallaght. They ran out 3-0 winners that day and that was also the last time the Bit o’Red have scored against the Hoops in a league fixture in the Showgrounds.
BETTING
Sligo Rovers 9/5; Draw 11/5; Shamrock Rovers 6/4.
PREDICTION
1-0 away win.
Sligo Rovers
Injured:Jeff Henderson, Richard Brush.
Unavailable: John Russell.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Luke Byrne.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.
About Macdara Ferris
Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl …