Shelbourne face a stern test of their top-four credentials away to St Patrick's Athletic on Friday night. The Reds travel to Richmond Park buoyed by a 5-1 thrashing of Sligo Rovers but aware of a recent poor record against their Dublin rivals.
Their recent form of two wins, one draw and two losses highlights the inconsistency they will need to overcome against a team in second place.
Opposition threat
St Patrick's Athletic present a formidable obstacle, having won their last three league matches without conceding a goal. They also hold a psychological edge in this fixture, having beaten Shelbourne 2-1 at Tolka Park in August. The head-to-head record over the last three meetings shows two wins for the Saints and one for Shelbourne.
The visitors' confidence will be high after their emphatic victory over Sligo. John Martin scored twice in that game, while Daniel Kelly and Ademipo Odubeko were also on the scoresheet. That attacking potency will be required to break down a St Pat's defence that has been solid at home. The current squad list shows the depth available to the manager.
Shelbourne's last starting lineup featured Beach in goal with a back three of Casey, Daniel Kelly and Ledwidge. The midfield and attack included the influential Jack Henry-Francis and the goalscoring threat of Odubeko. St Patrick's, managed by Jon Daly, are expected to field a similar side to the one that beat Sligo Rovers last month, with Anang in goal and Ruairi Keating leading the line.
A positive result is vital for Shelbourne's ambitions. They are 22 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers but firmly in the battle for European qualification. The match kicks off at 20:00 local time on Friday the 16th of October at Richmond Park.
