Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk will clash at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday in the League of Ireland Premier Division as they both aim to get back to winning ways. Shamrock Rovers, who have been struggling this season, find themselves in fourth place after back-to-back defeats, while Dundalk is fighting to climb out of the relegation playoff spot.
Shamrock Rovers, who have won the league in the last four seasons, are having a tough campaign this time around. They have only managed 31 points in 22 games, with eight wins and seven defeats. Despite some important victories in May, they have fallen further behind the league leaders in June, losing their last two matches.
Dundalk, on the other hand, has been battling relegation for most of the season. After a poor start, they have shown signs of improvement under new management, but still find themselves in the relegation playoff spot after a recent loss to Waterford.
In terms of team news, Shamrock Rovers may make changes to their starting lineup, with Aaron Greene likely to lead the line alongside Johnny Kenny and Graham Burke. Dundalk will be without Jamie Gullan, giving opportunities to younger players like Eoin Kenny and Cameron Elliott.
In the predicted lineups, Shamrock Rovers could field Pohls; Nugent, Lopes, Honohan; Towell, McEneff, Watts, Poom; Burke; Kenny, Greene, while Dundalk could go with Munro; Davies, Johnson, Muller, Keogh; Horgan, Mountney, Doyle, O’Kane; Benson; Elliott.
In terms of predictions, we expect Shamrock Rovers to come out on top with a 2-1 victory over Dundalk. Despite their struggles, they have more quality in their squad and should be able to secure the win.
Overall, this match promises to be an exciting battle between two teams with different objectives for the season. Shamrock Rovers will look to get back on track, while Dundalk will aim to continue their fight for survival in the league. It will be interesting to see how the match unfolds and which team comes out on top in the end.