League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- UCD
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SHAMROCK ROVERS
Shamrock Rovers will be hoping to put Friday heavy 3-0 defeat away to Cork City behind them and return to winning ways when they host UCD at Tallaght Stadium on Monday night.
Speaking ahead of Monday's game, Hoops boss Trevor Croly vented his disappointment with his sides display at Turner's Cross on Friday: “We didn’t play well at all against Cork on Friday. It was very disappointing for us to go down there – to a game we had all been looking forward to – and just not perform on the night. We just didn’t get started in some aspects of the game, including defending crosses.”
UCD's visit to Tallaght comes just 72 hours after Fridays' defeat to Cork and so, fortunately for Croly and his players, they won't have had to wait long to get their first league defeat out of their system. Such an opportunity is one the former Rovers assistant manager is adamant his team will take.
“We have a great chance to put that game behind us quickly with the next game coming so soon. We need to see a reaction from the players and I expect to see one in this game.”
Waterford man Shane Robinson is a doubt for Rovers with a bruised foot whilst Dave O'Connor remains sidelined with an ankle ligament injury sustained against Derry City on the opening day of the season and so will miss the chance to take to the field against his former club for the first time since his close season departure from Belfield.
UCD
UCD will make the short journey along the Dodder on Monday night full of confidence as they seek to extend their unbeaten run to four games with a result away to Shamrock Rovers.
Following a shaky start to the season, the Students have steadied themselves in recent weeks to take seven points from their last three games in a run of form that has elevated them to fifth place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table.
UCD captain Robbie Benson believes this recent rich vein of form will stand the Belfield outfit in good stead as they enter into a challenging few weeks of fixtures: “This is the second game of a tough run of fixtures for us in a busy few weeks. Tallaght is no easy place to go but confidence is high in the camp on the back of a good run and if we play to our capabilities we stand a great chance of keeping that momentum going.”
Unfortunately for manager Aaron Callaghan, he will have to plan without the services of both defender Ian Ryan (foot) and in-form Tunisian winger Ayman Ben Mohamed (knee).
Referee: Graham Kelly.
MATCH STATS
The last meeting between the two teams was back in mid-October when Rovers ran out convincing 4-1 winners in a league fixture at the Belfield Bowl.
Four members of this season's Shamrock Rovers squad, Conor Kenna, Dave O'Connor, Ronan Finn and Ciaran Kilduff, previously lined out in UCD colours whilst current UCD players Chris Mulhall, Ian Ryan, Mark Langtry and Robbie Creevy all played in Rovers' first team in the previous decade.
Since making their first appearance there in August 2009, UCD are yet to defeat Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.
BETTING
Shamrock Rovers 2/5; draw7/2; UCD 11/1
PREDICTION
2-1 win for the Hoops
Shamrock Rovers
Injured: Dave O'Connor (ankle)
Doubtful: Shane Robinson (bruised foot)
Suspended: None
UCD
Injured: Ian Ryan (foot), Ayman Ben Mohamed (knee)
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None.
