Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
As part of Matchday 20 in the Irish Premier Division, Shelbourne will face Derry City. The clash is set for Dublin on Friday, June 20, with kickoff scheduled for 20:45 Central European Time. I'm offering a bet focused on the game's goal tally.
Match preview
Last year, Shelbourne managed to break Shamrock Rovers' dominance in Irish football. The capital club claimed gold medals for the first time in 18 years, reclaiming their place at the pinnacle of domestic football.
Back in 2013, the illustrious club dropped out of the top flight and spent a long seven years in the wilderness. In 2020, they briefly returned to the Premier Division for a single season, but couldn’t avoid relegation, resulting in another drop down the leagues.
Just two years later, the Dublin side consolidated their place in the elite and began a steady climb. In 2023, Shelbourne clinched a European berth with a fourth-place finish, and the following year, they stunned everyone by overtaking Shamrock Rovers to capture their 14th league title in club history.
Defending the crown has proven challenging, as the team led by former Premier League star Damien Duff trails the leaders by 12 points at the halfway mark. The main culprit has been a lack of firepower: just 24 goals scored in 21 matches, with top scorers Odubeko and Martin netting only four apiece.
Derry City remains the only representative from Northern Ireland competing in the neighboring country’s league. In recent years, the team has been on an upward trend, finishing no lower than fourth in each of the past four seasons.
However, last campaign they missed out on European qualification, and this season got off to a rocky start. After a poor opening, Tiernan Lynch managed to steady the ship somewhat, but another noticeable slump came in mid-May.
The tightness of the league table keeps them in the hunt for top spots. Derry City has played two games fewer than their direct rivals, so a couple of wins could push them into the top three.
Currently, they sit sixth, with Michael Duffy leading the way on six goals and Daniel Mullen just behind with five.
Match facts
- Shelbourne have lost only one of their last five matches.
- At home, Shelbourne have won just twice in the past two months.
- Derry City are winless in four consecutive matches.
- Derry City have conceded in each of their last five away games.
- Shelbourne average 1.4 goals per home match, while Derry City average 1 goal per away fixture.
Probable lineups
- Shelbourne: Kearns, Gannon, Barrett, Ledwidge, Wilson, McEnroe, Coyle, Caffrey, Chapman, Norris, Martin.
- Derry City: Maher, Todd, Connolly, Cann, Holt, Boyce, Winchester, Duffy, White, Thomas, Mullen.
H2H
- The last four head-to-head meetings have not ended in a draw.
- Shelbourne have beaten Derry City in Dublin just once in the past 13 years.
Prediction
Both teams are situated in the upper half of the table, but their approaches differ. Shelbourne typically prioritize defensive solidity, focusing first on keeping a clean sheet. Derry City, on the other hand, favor bold, attacking football, though they often struggle to convert that into results. This contrast sets the stage for a tight contest, likely low on goals rather than a high-scoring spectacle. My tip: total goals under 2.5.
