Written by Matt O’Rourke
So after a captivating performance in the Ringsend derby last Friday,where the reds got an unforgettable victory over Ringsend’s number 2, we’re on the road to face Sligo Rovers in The Showgrounds.
Our win over the hoops is most definitely lingering in the squad and will give us much needed motivation and confidence to take 3 points home from Sligo.
Going in on a win will benefit us greatly, whereas Sligo are coming in on a strong 2-2 draw away to Bohs and a 0-0 draw at home to Derry. It will be pivotal for Shels to start strong and get some good attacking play going early.
Let’s talk key players:
Conor Kearns put in a valiant shift last Friday in Tolka, with multiple crucial saves throughout the game. We really need him to carry that performance over to the Showgrounds for Friday as when Sligo get going they can be an attacking threat at times.
I also believe the combination of Matty Smith and Liam Burt will be vital to our attacking play this Friday. Both seem to work very strong together and hopefully they will continue to build up strong attacks.
Finally , Mark Coyle will be vital to our success. He put on a true captain’s display last week with a stunning goal and countless essential challenges and passes.
If I were to pick out a key player for Sligo, it would be Max Mata. As a player, he has a natural ability to attack and can easily capitalise on mistakes made by a defender.
To add to this, I also believe Pijnaker will need to perform well. He is a solid defender and knows how to deal with attacking threats.
As I mentioned earlier, we will need to line up strong and get into Sligo from the start. I think our strong midfield will stand to us in the game, and the likes of Burt, Smith and Jarvis will easily help us attack.
Our defence looks mighty , even with Griffin gone we have stepped up and look like a formidable back line.
For the score, I can see Shelbourne winning 2-1. In my opinion, the game can go either way and the winner will be whoever puts in a stronger performance in the early match. Both teams are in good form , so it could easily be a draw as well, but I’ll stick with my guts at a 2-1 victory.
I’d like to thank you for reading my match preview for Shelbourne VS Sligo Rovers.
UTFR