League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Longford Town

• Aaron Gallagher
• Fri, May 15 2015




SHAMROCK ROVERS

After a tough 0-0 draw away to St. Patrick's Athletic on Monday night, Shamrock Rovers will be looking to get back to the winning ways that saw them victorious in three out of their last four games before they visited Richmond Park, when they take on Longford Town on Friday night.

 

The stalemate against St. Pat’s saw Keith Fahey return to Inchicore for the first time since making the switch to Tallaght during the off-season – a game which Rovers could well feel they deserved to take all three points from.

 

The match hoped to place the two sides on a level playing field for a match of quality football following the torrential wind of the fixture in Tallaght Stadium on the opening day of the season.

 

However following Friday's water-logged pitch and more heavy rainfall at Richmond Park on Monday, the game pitted two evenly matched sides to a deserved point each.

 

The Hoops go into Friday night's game with six draws, the most draws in the Premier Division, but are also one of only two teams along with Dundalk not to have lost a game so far this season.

 

If selected Danny North will make his 200th league appearance, with the forward only having  started one league game for Rovers since the reverse fixture two months ago on a night where he got the winner in a 1-0 win.

 

Rovers go into the game having conceded just four goal - the fewest conceded in the league – and with nine clean sheets – the most in the league. Defender David Webster is back in contention after picking up an injury in tthe 3-0 win over Bray but Ryan Brennan is a doubt due to a thigh strain.

 

Anything but a win for Pat Felon's side against Longford would put serious distance between them and second-placed Cork City who lie four points ahead of Rovers but the Hoops do have a game in hand.

 

 

LONGFORD TOWN

Longford have outdone even their own expectations since arriving in the Premier Division this year, with wins over Bray Wanderers, Galway United and Drogheda United. Those victories, coupled with draws against Limerick, St. Patrick's Athletic, Sligo Rovers and Derry City leave them comfortably midtable on 13 points.

 

Although the Town have only won one of their last ten games in all competitions, Tony Cousins' men can take solace in their efforts against champions Dundalk last Saturday with Longford losing out 2-0.

 

The result can be taken in a positive light when taken into account the 8-1 thrashing suffered by relegation-threatened Bray Wanderers at the hands of Stephen Kenny's men on the May Bank Holiday Monday.

 

The visitors go into this game comfortably placed just outside the top five of the Premier Division, trailing fifth placed St. Patrick's Athletic by nine points and at the same time level with Derry on 13 points who lie in seventh place.

 

They will have to do without left back Conor Powell who is suspended. Playing against his former side Stephen Rice is the only player to make a century of appearances at Tallaght Stadium with 102 games played, with three last season versus Shamrock Rovers First Division team.

 

Referee: Derek Tomney

 

 

MATCH STATS

The pairs meeting in March which saw Rovers run out 2-0 winners at the City Calling Stadium was the first time the teams had met in the league in over seven years following Longford's promotion to the Premier Division.

 

Longford Town's record victory came this time last year when they beat Shamrock Rovers B 6-0 in the First Division.

 

In their previous six meetings Longford Town have won two, scoring five while Shamrock Rovers have won four, scoring twelve.

 

In the top flight Rovers have not conceded so few goals (4) at this stage in the season since 1991-92 while their 15 goals scored this year is the team's fewest since a total of 11 in 2010.

 

 

BETTING

Shamrock Rovers 4/11; Longford Town 9/1; Draw 16/5

 

 

PREDICTION

Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Longford Town

 

 

Shamrock Rovers

Injured: None

Doubtful: Ryan Brennan.

Suspended: None

 

Longford Town

Injured: Not available

Doubtful: Not available

Suspended: Conor Powell