Shelbourne vs Derry City Preview
The stakes are high on Monday, August 5th at Tolka Park. Derry City will host Damien Duff’s Shelbourne in a top-of-the-table clash with massive title implications at 7:45 pm. This is a huge match for both teams pursuing league glory.
It is a must-win game for the Candystripes, as they try to stay in touch with the leaders. Shelbourne are three points clear at the top with a game in hand. They hope to open up a six-point gap but a draw wouldn’t be the worst result.
These teams are in similar form, but Shelbourne has a European distraction. Only time will tell if their high-stakes Thursday game against FC Zurich has a negative impact. Derry could catch the Shels at the best possible time.
Shelbourne vs Derry City Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Anyone betting on the League of Ireland Premier Division will know Shelbourne currently tops the table with 47 points from 24 games. Damien Duff’s men have an outstanding opportunity to get one hand on the trophy on Monday. Derry is hot on their heels with 44 points, but they’ve played one more game than the Dublin side.
A loss would be devastating for Derry. Three points could become a nine-point gap if Shelbourne win their extra game. This is a huge test for Ruaidhri Higgins, who faced questions after his team crashed out of Europe. The manager would love to prove that he’s good enough for this level.
Traditionally, Shelbourne is one of Ireland’s biggest clubs, but they fell into disarray in the mid-noughties. Duff has been outstanding in reviving their fortunes. The former international is one of the best Irish soccer players ever and looks to claim similar accolades as a manager. Most worrying for Derry is that he has his side playing good football and challenging in Europe.
Derry and Shelbourne have played each other 41 times throughout their history. The Dubliners have only won seven of these games, with Derry winning 20. It’s fair to say that the Candystripes have dominated this rivalry. The sides also have 14 draws between them.
However, there hasn’t been a winner in this tie in their past five meetings. All these games ended in low-scoring draws. Their last clash finished 1-1 at the Brandywell. This was a tight affair although both sides had chances to win.
The Candystripes entered this game after suffering back-to-back defeats. They delivered an improved performance against the unbeaten league leaders at the Brandywell. Shels dropped points for just the second time this season.
Pat Hoban and Evan Caffrey had half-chances for their teams but failed to get their shots on target. Will Patching hit the woodwork for Derry while Patrick McEleney brilliantly blocked to keep Shels out. Derry dominated the last quarter as they pressured Shelbourne. Ultimately, neither side could put the ball in the net.
Duff doesn’t always get the credit that he deserves for improving players. Conor Kearns is one of the chief beneficiaries of his reign. The goalkeeper had a nomadic career with ups and downs before joining the new Shelbourne project. Now he’s one of the most improved players in the league. He must be at his best to keep out Patrick Hoban.
Higgins pulled off a masterstroke by signing Hoban. The former Dundalk striker is a veteran at 33. However, he’s one of Ireland’s most prolific goalscorers on the domestic scene. He currently leads the charts with an impressive 12 goals this season.
Will Jarvis is Shelbourne’s top scorer this year. With eight goals, the Hull City player has been superb on loan for Duff’s side. His all-round game is impressive because he also has four assists. Meanwhile, Sean Boyd has seven goals so far for Shels and is hot on Jarvis’ heels.
Our Number 7 😍
Michael Duffy finished off the move started by McMullan and assisted by O'Reilly. pic.twitter.com/ieJUoIl7kC
— Derry City FC (@derrycityfc) July 24, 2024
Shelbourne has the advantage of playing at home in this game. This could be crucial as they hope to end Derry’s title hopes. Higgins called on the Derry supporters to rally behind the team because he believed they could make a difference. However, it will be difficult for them in enemy territory.
Both teams are in mixed form. Shelbourne is unbeaten in their past five Premier Division games, but they’ve had tumultuous results in Europe. Meanwhile, Derry had a shocking loss against Bruno’s Magpies in Gibraltar, ending their continental campaign. But they will benefit from more rest before this game than their title rivals.
This will be a fascinating clash and is a potential nail-biter. Tyreke Wilson will be available for Shelbourne after his red card against Drogheda. The former Man City defender also has goals this season and is a key part of Duff’s system.
Keep an eye on the live betting markets. If one team scores early, it may be worth betting on the other team to equalise. We predict a tie but two goals or fewer.
Shelbourne vs Derry City Predictions
Predicted Score: Shelbourne 1 – 1 Derry City
Our soccer prediction is for a draw as neither side will want to lose three points in the hunt for the title. These teams have tied in their past five meetings and there’s a good chance that history will repeat itself. Several key factors make this the most likely result.
Man for man, Shelbourne has a better team than Derry City. However, the Candystripes have the best Irish striker in Paddy Hoban. Even in a normal week, there’s a good chance they would cancel each other out.
Shelbourne plays against FC Zurich in Europe, which could offer an opening for Derry. Duff’s side is up against it with a 3-0 deficit. There’s a strong chance that the manager rotates with one eye on the league. But it will still stretch his team to the limit while Derry will enjoy more rest.
On the other side, Shels has a home advantage. It’s a long trip south for Derry to face their title rivals at Tolka Park. If this game were at the Brandywell, we’d fancy Derry to smash and grab a result. But it’s going to be tough for them away from home.
We return to League of Ireland action next Monday, August 5th at Tolka Park.
The Reds face Derry City in a top of the table clash.
We need you with us ⬇️
🎟️ | https://t.co/mAe2oUd1lN#DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/eIMiD94q5i
— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) July 27, 2024
It’s been seven games since either side scored more than 1 goal apiece in this tie. Derry defeated Shelbourne 4-0 in the FAI Cup in 2022. Since then, there have only been five goals in their past six meetings. There’s a strong chance that one goal could be the difference in this one.
Derry’s Pat Hoban will be his side’s danger man. Shelbourne must keep him quiet if they want to achieve a result. Will Patching is also in decent form this year for the Candystripes with six goals and four assists. Shelbourne mustn’t focus too much on Hoban because it will give opportunities to other players.
Meanwhile, Shelbourne has plenty of goals in their team too. Jarvis, Boyd, and John Martin all present a scoring threat. The biggest question is about their energy levels after their European adventures.
This is also a massive test of their managers’ credentials. Duff is desperate to prove himself at a domestic level and is already a beloved figure in Dublin. Higgins was under severe pressure but has consolidated since then. A win over Shelbourne would change everything.
Shelbourne vs Derry City Betting Tips
Derry City is a slight favourite to win this match at our online bookmaker. It’s currently 13/8 for them to emerge victorious. A successful €10 stake would make €16.25. Meanwhile, Damien Duff’s men are slight underdogs at 9/5. Betting on Shelbourne would make €18.
We predict that Shelbourne and Derry City will play to a draw. It’s 2/1 for a sixth-successive tie between these sides with a potential €20 profit from a ten Euro bet. We’re not convinced that either side will break down the other.
Check over-under betting markets for this game as a low-scoring clash is likely. It’s currently 1/2 for there to be fewer than 2.5 goals. If there is a winner, it will be by a solitary goal. Our sports betting site does not think both teams will score with odds for this market at 7/10.
It’s even for Derry to snatch a single goal in this game with Patrick Hoban, their most likely scorer. Meanwhile, Shelbourne is priced at 21/20 to put the ball in Brian Maher’s net. Maher is one of the top keepers in the country right now, so this will be a monumental task.
You can also bet on potential goalscorers. Hoban is the most likely for Derry City at 11/5. Shelbourne’s Boyd is the Dublin side’s most clinical forward. It’s 13/5 for him to grab a decisive goal at any stage in this game. You can also make an over-under wager on the number of corners in this game. It’s 4/6 for there to be under 9.5.
Finally, why not bet on the champion of the Irish Premier Division? New players can take advantage of Novibet’s welcome bonus. The winner of this game has a great chance to seize the title. Use the bonus to wager with no extra risk.
Shelbourne FC Team News and Predicted Line-Up
Neither manager will take any chances in this game. We expect Duff to put out his strongest available line-up. He will only make changes if one of his players suffers an unfortunate injury against FC Zürich. Tyreke Wilson will return after his recent suspension. Liam Burt may start if Duff puts two men up front.
- Shelbourne FC Predicted Lineup: Kearns, Wilson, Ledwidge, Barrett, Gannon, Lunney, Coyle, Jarvis, Smith, Caffrey, and Martin.
Derry City FC Team News and Predicted Lineup
This is a must-win game for Ruaidhri Higgins and his team. We’ll see a full-strength lineup at Tolka Park. His team benefited from rest after their FAI Cup win over St. Pats. It is a tremendous opportunity for Derry and they’re desperate to win.
- Derry City FC Predicted lineup: Maher, Doherty, McEleney, Connolly, Dummigan, Diallo, O’Reilly, Duffy, Patching, Kelly, and Hoban.
