WNL Preview: Shelbourne Ladies -v- UCD Waves

SHELBOURNE LADIES

Shelbourne Ladies host high-flying UCD Waves at Morton Stadium on Saturday night (kick-off 7pm) as the champions seek their first victory of the season.

 

Shels needed an injury-time Jamie Finn equaliser in their first home game against Cork City, and they were handed a 3-0 walkover defeat after fielding an ineligible player at Peamount.

 

All of which leaves the league's highest-profile side in a bit of a muddle early on, and their tough opening schedule gets no easier with the visit of joint-top UCD.

 

 

UCD WAVES

UCD Waves arrive at Morton Stadium with two wins from two and trail Peamount United at the top on goals scored, with six scored and none conceded to the Peas seven and one.



 

It's been the perfect start for manager manager Noel Kealy, who left Kilkenny United in the off-season to replace the outgoing Eileen Gleeson.

 

After a narrow 1-0 away win to Galway on the opening day, Kealy's side followed it up with a thumping 5-1 victory over his former side at Jackson Park.

 

"Shelbourne will always a tough game for anyone in the league. They have always got quality and I'm expecting a really good game between two good sides,” Kealy told the league's website.



 

"It'll be a good test of where we are at. Like any team who is competing for the league, we want to be there at the end of the season. Sliverware has got to be the objective.

 

"We've got the quality and the depth in the squad to do that but we've got to continue to improve and keep refining those details as the season goes on.

 

 

Referee:

 

 

MATCH STATS

The teams faced each other twice in the league last season, with the Reds coming out the former as they battled at the top of the table until the very end.

 

The played out a 1-1 draw at Jackson Park early in the season and matched each other for much of the season to set up a spectacular showdown in the second last week.

 

And it was Shels who sealed the title with a 3-1 victory at Morton Stadium as Siobhan Killeen, Alex Kavanagh and Noelle Murray got on the scoresheet.

 

 

BETTING

N/A

 

PREDICTION

Shelbourne Ladies 2 – 2 UCD Waves

 

 

Shelbourne Ladies

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.

 

UCD Waves

Injured: Unavailable.

Doubtful: Unavailable.

Suspended: None.