Shelbourne FC vs Waterford FC Preview
It’s another huge week in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Top-of-the-table Shelbourne will host Waterford at Tolka Park on Friday, 17 May at 7.45 pm. This promises to be an exciting game between two ambitious teams.
Damien Duff’s side enjoyed an excellent start to the season, but it’s tight at the top. Meanwhile, Waterford enters this game in fourth place. A win would bring them level with Shamrock Rovers in the third spot with 25 points.
Shelbourne is the favourite, but they’ll be wary of this dynamic Waterford side. The Dubliners are desperate to win their first League of Ireland title since 2006. It will take something special, but they believe they can do it.
Shelbourne FC vs Waterford FC Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Shels enter this game as 8/11 favourites at our sports betting site. This means a successful €10 stake would net a €7.27 profit. However, Shelbourne haven’t been in dominant form of late. They only have one win in their past five games, but they have done enough to stay on top of the leaderboard.
Waterford is enjoying a resurgence. They’re riding a three-game winning streak. Their last game was a dominant 4-1 victory over Dundalk. In their previous game, Waterford FC proved they could beat anyone in this division by defeating Shamrock Rovers 3-1.
Maleace Asamoah scored a hat-trick for Waterford against the Lilywhites, with Christie Pattisson also grabbing a goal. This was a superb performance that delighted their fans. Robbie Benson equalised for Dundalk after Asamoah’s first goal. But then it was all Waterford as Noel King’s team suffered a defensive nightmare.
Shelbourne’s most recent result was a 1-1 draw with Drogheda. This was a very frustrating game for the Shels because Drogheda didn’t play to win. Shelbourne struggled to get through Drogheda’s five-man midfield. They dominated possession with 76% of the ball but couldn’t grab a winner.
Frantz Pierrot even helped Drogheda take a surprise third-minute lead. Shelbourne huffed and puffed until they finally equalised in the 60th minute. It’s an anxious time for the Dublin side because Derry City is only a point behind them in second.
Shelbourne and Waterford have only met once since the latter’s promotion. They played each other in their opening game of the season. The two sides eked out a 1-1 draw at the Waterford Regional Sports Centre. Maleace Asamoah scored in the third minute for his side before Sean Boyd’s 78th-minute equaliser. However, Boyd turned from hero to villain just six minutes later. He received his marching orders after he tried to elbow Grant Horton.
It was a moment of indiscipline that could have cost his team. In the end, Shelbourne hung on bravely to secure a point. This was a fair result because it was a competitive game between two evenly matched teams.
Maleace Asamoah is one of the most exciting young players in the League of Ireland Premier Division. The Fleetwood Town loanee is enjoying his spell at their sister club. Asamoah has six goals this season and is the joint-third top scorer in the competition. He’s the one to watch because his pace rattled the Shels in their last meeting.
Will Jarvis is Shelbourne’s main goal threat. The Hull City loanee has five goals for the Dublin side. Manager Damian Duff acknowledged Jarvis is a ‘special player.’ The Republic of Ireland legend even said he afforded him special treatment in training.
It’s not all about Jarvis or Asamoah. Sean Boyd is volatile, but he’s also been there for Shelbourne when it counts. He has four goals this season and rescued a draw against Drogheda. There’s always a chance of him getting on the scoresheet.
Waterford’s Padraig Amond is one of the most experienced strikers in the League of Ireland today. The former Newport County star has five goals this term. He also offers leadership qualities that will come in handy as the season continues.
The atmosphere at Tolka Park will be another influential factor. Dublin City Council granted Shelbourne a 250-year lease for the ground this week. There were fears the Shels might lose the stadium, inciting their passionate fanbase. Waterford enters a cauldron on Friday night.
Shelbourne FC vs Waterford FC Predictions
Correct Score Prediction: Shelbourne 1 – 0 Waterford
We predict Shelbourne will clinch a narrow victory in this game. The Dubliners have a stronger team on paper and have been unlucky in recent matches. It will be challenging for Waterford to get a result at Tolka Park.
Shelbourne has struggled for wins this year but they have a solid defensive record. They’ve only conceded two goals twice this year. Waterford has quality forwards like Amond and Asamoah, but they may find it difficult to breach the Shels’ defence.
Liam Burt and Matty Smith are quality attackers who give Shelbourne another dimension. They’ve endured mixed fortunes over the past few weeks. However, they’re amongst the best players in the division on their day.
While our soccer prediction for this game is for the Shels to win, a draw would not be surprising. Betting on Shelbourne is risky because they have drawn their past two league games. Waterford is in bright form and could leave Tolka Park with a point. However, it’s unlikely that they’ll park the bus like Drogheda. This could give Shelbourne more chances to win the game.
Live betting is a great option for this match. It may be worth betting on Shelbourne to win the second half, as Waterford has a habit of taking surprise leads. Live betting is also useful because it allows you to assess how the teams are playing before you place a bet.
Shelbourne FC vs Waterford FC Betting Tips
Betting on the League of Ireland Premier Division is exciting because it’s so volatile. That’s why punters can profit from Shelbourne even though they’re favourites. Waterford enter this game as 4/1 underdogs. This means a €10 bet could see a significant €40 profit. A draw is very possible given these teams’ current form. Our betting site offers this at 12/5 and a successful bet would see returns of €34.
Betting on soccer is enjoyable because there are so many markets. The odds of both teams scoring are currently 6/5. Our soccer prediction this week is for Shelbourne to win 1-0. A good prop bet would be that only one team scores at 3/5. A €10 stake would see a €6 profit.
The goals over/under markets are also interesting. Under 1.5 goals is available at 8/5. That same €10 bet would see a substantial €16 profit. The odds of Shelbourne leading 1-0 are 8/15. This is relatively low given that they’ve only taken the lead once in their past five games. Waterford taking a 1-0 lead is available at 19/10. They’ve already done this to Shelbourne this season. If you think history will repeat itself, a €10 stake could make a €19 profit.
It may be worth betting on the first goal scorer. Sean Boyd is playing well for Shelbourne with two goals in his past two games. The likes of Padraig Amond and Maleace Asamoah are always dangerous for Waterford. Take advantage of our welcome bonus when you register. Use the bonus across a range of markets and sports with mitigated risk.
Shelbourne FC Team News and Predicted Line-Up
Damien Duff has some big decisions with Derry City breathing down his neck. The good news is that he has a fully fit squad. Sean Gannon was an injury doubt but is fully fit to start this game. It’s a toss-up between Tyreke Wilson and Kameron Ledwidge at left-back. The Shels manager will select an attacking line-up to get his team back on track.
- Shelbourne Predicted Line-Up: Conor Kearns, Sean Gannon, Gavin Molloy, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, Mark Coyle, Jonathan Lunney, John O’Sullivan, Will Jarvis, Liam Burt, and Sean Boyd.
Waterford FC Team News and Predicted Line-Up:
Keith Long won’t want to make many changes after their 4-1 win over Dundalk. Fatigue may force his hand because it’s been a hectic schedule. Robbie McCourt is among the most likely returnees if he rotates. Darragh Power also started in the win over Shamrock Rovers and could provide some fresh legs. Long will assess his players’ fitness in training.
- Waterford Predicted Line-Up: Sam Sargeant, Darragh Power, Kacper Radkowski, Grant Horton, Darragh Leahy, Rowan McDonald, Dean McMenamy, Maleace Asamoah, Darragh Power, Connor Parsons, and Pádraig Amond.
