Shelbourne
- Shelbourne are unbeaten after three games with five points from a possible nine
- Joey O’Brien has taken the traditional three-at-the-back system that Shels used to good effect last year and added a bit more transition play to it this season.
- Shels look sharper in the final third this season with Ademipo Odubeko adding pace and creativity in the middle third.
St Pat’s
- St Pat’s are right behind them with four points from a possible nine
- St Pats opened their account with a 0-0 draw at Bohemians and followed up with a defeat to Shamrock Rovers before beating Dundalk 4-0 last week.
- Stephen Kenny’s men play a possession-based, high-tempo style with a back four and advanced midfielders looking to control the tempo and territory of games.
Head-to-Head
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Recent history:
- These two clubs have met 49 times in all competitions with Shels holding a narrow edge in overall head-to-head records with 21 wins to 17 with 11 draws.
- They've split the last six league meetings with Shelbourne winning three, St Pat's two and one draw, while Shels won the most recent meeting 2-1 at home in April of last year.
- Goals usually flow when these two Dublin rivals meet with an average of 2.4 scored per game in the 49 previous meetings.
Key Players
- So the Damoghty Boys seem to be over their defeat to Rovers and, with goalkeeper Joseph Anang keeping two clean sheets and earning high ratings in both, they have a platform to build from.
- John Martin is also in fine form for Shelbourne, scoring in their opener and showing his ability to get into good positions in the box from wide areas.
- They have some crafty players that can unlock defences and Zack Elbouzedi, who scored against Dundalk, adds some directness to their frontline.
- Jamie Lennon and Joe Redmond are both experienced campaigners who provide stability in midfield and defensive transition.
Betting Insights
- But the odds suggest this may be a low-scoring game with under 2.5 goals priced at 1.6 for Friday’s clash.
- Shels are the bookmakers’ favorites at 2.08 with 3.34 for a draw also available at the time of writing.
Prediction
- Both teams are close to full strength for this fixture and with good weather forecast for Tolka Park, we should see a high-tempo game that is typical of a Dublin derby.
- We will take the value on offer for St Pats at 3.48 to make Shels work hard for their three points and perhaps even spoil the party with a point or better.
