Shelbourne v Longford Town

SSE Airtricity League – Division One

Tolka Park – Friday, August 29th – KO 5.45pm

Hard on the heels of Tuesday’s disappointment, with the FAI Third Round Replay against St. Patrick’s Athletic falling victim to a floodlights failure, league leaders Longford Town come to Tolka Park on Friday night, for this all-important 1^st v 2^nd clash. Kick-off is 8.00pm.

Shelbourne are currently three points behind Longford at the top of the league table, so if the Reds could manage to pull off a win on Friday night, both teams, would be on equal points facing into the final five games of the league campaign, though Longford have a much better ‘goal difference total.

Shelbourne are unbeaten since these sides last met on July 5^th, when they were well and truly beaten 3-0 at Strokestown Road. Longford Town have lost their last two games – 2-1 to Galway FC and 3-0 to Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup, and may be feeling that history might repeat itself, with the ‘Midlanders’ faltering at the wrong time – just into the final series of games.

In the three games played between the side so far this season, Shelbourne won the first two, 1-0 at Longford, and 3-2 at Tolka, before being beaten in that last meeting at Longford.

Shelbourne manager Johnny McDonnell is looking forward to Friday’s encounter, commenting “Friday’s game is the fourth between the clubs this season and they have all been tough and physical, especially those played in Longford. Since then we have added well to our squad and this can only give us confidence coming into this game.

Our performance against St Pats, away in the Cup, tells me that this group of players can play at a higher level but that this calibre of performance must be carried right through to the end of the season – starting with the game on Friday”.

The manager reports that all players are fit and ready to go, apart from Darren Tinnelly, who has had surgery in the past week.

Shelbourne have no suspensions going into this week game.

Suspended: None

Injured: Darren Tinnelly

Doubtful: None

Goal Scorers (Competitive 2014)

Dylan Connolly – 7

Gareth Coughlan – 6

Jordan Keegan -4 (FAI 1)

Conor Murphy – 3

Darren Tinnelly – 3 (EASC 2)

Dylan Cashin – 2 (LSC 1)

Brian Gannon – 2 (1 LSC)

Willo McDonagh – 2

Alan O’Sullivan – 2

Philip Hand – 1

Adam O’Connor – 1 (LSC 1)

Stephen McDonnell -1

Keith Quinn – 1

Lee Murtagh – 1

Lee Desmond – 1

Jake Donnelly – 1

Adam McDonnell – 1

Lee Duffy – 1

Sean Russell – 1