An in-form Shamrock Rovers will welcome St Patrick’s Athletic to Tallaght Stadium on Monday as they look to extend their lead at the top of the League of Ireland Premier Division.
The Hoops will be hoping to make it four wins on the bounce to start the week, while Saints will try to build on their victory last time out.
Match preview
Stephen Bradley‘s Rovers have made a strong start to the campaign, and with only one defeat across their last 13 games as the season’s halfway mark approaches, they will be confident of adding to their tally this week.
On Friday, the Hoops came from behind to earn an important three points when goals from Rory Gaffney, Michael Noonan and Graham Burke helped them to a 3-1 win over Waterford.
That victory took Bradley’s side clear at the top of the league with 29 points, and they are now two ahead of second-placed Derry City after the Red and White Army drew 1-1 with Drogheda United.
Having already beaten Monday’s opponents 1-0 earlier this season, fans may be expectant of extending their lead at the top of the tree, and given that they have recorded back-to-back clean sheets at Tallaght Stadium prior to this clash, the hosts will be assured by the defensive solidity they have shown in recent weeks.
A fourth consecutive triumph could see Rovers go five points clear of both Derry and Bohemians, though defeat would give their title rivals the chance to drop them down to third ahead of matchday 18.
Meanwhile, Stephen Kenny‘s St Patrick’s have been in poor form over the past month, and with just two wins from their seven most recent fixtures, they will be desperate to take all three points.
Last time out, Saints fought back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against relegation-threatened Cork City, though the manager will be disappointed that his team needed last-gasp goals from Zachary Elbouzedi and Jamie Lennon to secure the victory despite initially taking the lead.
Regardless, that win took Kenny’s side up to fourth, where they are level on 25 points with fifth-placed Drogheda and two behind Derry and Bohemians.
The visitors will be hard-pressed to make up that ground on Monday given the level of opposition they face, not to mention that they will also have to defy their disastrous away record that features a four-game winless run and three losses in a row leading up to their trip to Tallaght.
Three points for St Patrick’s could take them up to second place and leave them only one point short of Rovers, but falling to their sixth defeat of the campaign could cause them to drop down to fifth.
Team News
After winning once again last time out, Rovers are likely to stick with a similar XI to the one that beat Waterford, so expect Rory Gaffney and Aaron Greene to start up top.
Supporting the partnership from out wide should be wing-backs Adam Matthews and Joshua Honohan, while 16-year-old Michael Noonan will be ready to come off the bench if the Hoops are in need of more firepower.
Elsewhere, Cory O’Sullivan, Roberto Lopez and Lee Grace will make up Bradley’s back three, and the trio will protect Edward McGinty between the sticks.
As for St Patrick’s, they may be without midfielder Kian Leavy on Monday after he was taken off with a first-half injury against Cork, and Brandon Kavanagh could take his place alongside Jamie Lennon and Barry Baggley.
In attack, Friday’s goalscorer, Mason Melia, will be joined by Jake Mulraney and Aidan Keena, while Axel Sjoberg and Al-Amin Kareem provide overlapping runs from full-back.
Shamrock Rovers possible starting lineup:
McGinty; Matthews, Grace, Lopez, O’Sullivan, Honohan; Byrne, Nugent, O’Neill; Gaffney, Greene
St Patrick’s Athletic possible starting lineup:
Anang; Sjoberg, Redmond, Hoare, Kazeem; Baggley, Lennon, Kavanah; Mulraney, Melia, Keena
We say: Shamrock Rovers 2-0 St Patrick’s Athletic
Rovers are in strong form ahead of this clash, and they will be confident of keeping their spot at the top of the table with a win.
In contrast, St Patrick’s have been poor away from home, and with three consecutive losses on the road prior to Monday, they are unlikely to bounce back this week.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
