St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne FC Preview
The League of Ireland Premier Division continues this Friday, and we have another exciting round of fixtures to enjoy. St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne FC sees first in the league table make the journey to Richmond Park for an exciting Dublin Derby. Who will come out on top on March 15 at 7:45 pm?
Shelbourne started the season with a red card and a draw to Waterford. Since then, they have won four games in a row, conceding two goals all season. St Patrick’s Athletic began with a win over Galway. Since then, they have lost three on the bounce. Last week, the Saints stopped the rot at home by holding off Dundalk. The challenge this week could be too much for St Pats. However, will the home fans play their part and end the Shelbourne winning streak?
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne FC Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Shelbourne is the team to beat this season, having not lost a game after five rounds of fixtures. They are two points clear of the only other unbeaten team in this campaign, Derry City. St Patrick’s Athletic has suffered defeats at the hands of Bohemian, Derry, and Waterford in the past few weeks, but a win against Dundalk has steadied the ship. This is a big test for the Saints. Can they stop the Shels?
Shelbourne has one of the best Irish soccer players of all time as a head coach, Damien Duff. Duff has been at the helm for eight encounters against St Patrick’s but has only picked up one victory in the Dublin Derby. The good news for Shels fans is that victory came in the last meeting between the clubs, and Duff seems to have narrowed the gap between the teams. The Saints won six of the eight encounters since 2022, but one goal has decided the four recent matches.
The most recent meeting came in early September 2023. Shelbourne were the hosts, and they enjoyed a 2-1 victory thanks to two late goals. The game was fiercely competitive, resulting in eight yellow cards and one red issued by the referee. The Shelbourne FC manager even picked up a yellow for arguing. St Patrick’s started on the front foot, finding the breakthrough after 20 minutes. A delightful cross by Jamie Lennon found the head of captain Joe Redmond, who nodded it past the goalie. The game changed after 65 minutes when Jay McGrath cynically tripped Jack Moylan, who turned the defender. McGrath picked up his second yellow and played no further part in the game.
With ten men, St Patrick’s Athletic defended well and reduced the number of clear-cut Shelbourne chances. That was until the new signing, Euclides Carbal came on in the 80th minute and scored with his second touch of the game. Carbal picks the ball up on the edge of the six-yard box with his back to goal. He turns and toe-pokes it into the back of the net, levelling the game. The game-winning goal came from a corner in the last minute of regulation play. Harry Wood swings in the corner, and finds an unmarked Paddy Barrett on the penalty spot. His powerful header flew over the head of the St Patrick’s defender on the near post, right into the top corner.
However, the last time St Patricks hosted Shelbourne, it was an easy 1-0 victory for the home side. Like the meeting above, Shelbourne had more of the ball, racking up 60% possession. However, the home team registered five shots on goals and kept the visitors to zero. The Dublin Derby was another feisty affair, with nine players picking up yellow cards. Four went to the home side, and Gbemi Arubi picked up a yellow card before he was even on the pitch. Jake Mulraney scored the deciding goal in the 70th minute, giving the Saints all three points.
Betting on soccer games is never straightforward, and the Dubin Derby offers no exception. The historical result suggests St Patrick’s Athletic has the advantage, winning most derbys over recent years. However, Damien Duff is working wonders with Shelbourne, and they find themselves at the top of the table for a good reason. Making an accurate soccer prediction this week won’t be easy, but there is one team with an advantage heading into this week.
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne FC Predictions
Prediction: St Patrick’s Athletic 1-2 Shelbourne FC
Even though St Patrick’s is playing at home and historically has got the better of Shelbourne, we feel the tide is turning in this derby. We predict the home side will score first but cannot hold off the league leaders for 90 minutes. The Saints picked up a much-needed confidence boost last week after ending a three-match losing streak. Shelbourne will take some stopping as they look to make it five consecutive Premier Division victories.
Looking at the results this season shows how difficult it has been to predict soccer matches. Only two teams have yet to pick up a victory and St Patrick’s Athletic is the only club not to register a draw. However, this Dublin Derby could easily end up as a draw, as the sides are even heading into this contest. Shelbourne has the recent form advantage, but St Patrick’s has often got the better of the Shels, and they play at home this week.
If you are looking to bet on the Premier Division, there is one key difference between the sides. Shelbourne has scored seven times and only conceded two goals in five games. St Patrick’s has a minus-two goal difference, after scoring four times and letting in six. The Saints have struggled to score this season and only managed one in their last game against the bottom-of-the-table Dundalk. Shelbourne has found it easier to score goals and is enjoying a run of three consecutive clean sheets.
The 𝘋𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘺 takes centre stage this Friday 🔴
⚽️ | St. Patrick’s Athletic
📆 | March 15th
⏰ | KO 7:45pm
📍 | Richmond Park
🎟️ | General sale Wednesday 8pm (subject to availability)
📺 | Live on LOITV#DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/GKhUVEe1m7— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) March 12, 2024
This week, we predict the home side will find the back of the net in the first half. However, the league leaders won’t give up without a fight and will control the ball throughout the encounter. We expect Shelbourne to secure at least 60% possession across the match and will register the most attempts. They will need a touch of fortune to break the St Patrick’s backline. But once they do, we expect two goals in quick succession to secure all three points for the visitors.
If you are considering an in-play wager on the Dublin Derby, look out for Will Jarvis. He scored a penalty against the Bohemians last week and got one against the defending champions, Shamrock Rovers. He could prove to be the difference on Friday, either scoring Shelbourne’s first or winning goal.
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Shelbourne FC Betting Tips
If you are interested in betting on this soccer match, let’s examine the odds available at the Novibet online betting site. Judging from the full-time result market, the betting platform sees this as a level contest. Betting on either the home or away side will return more than your original stake, which is uncommon for Premier Division matches. Betting on St Patrick’s Athletic at 7/5 will return €24 from a ten-euro wager. Placing the same value bet on Shelbourne will give you €28, as the odds are 9/5. They price a draw at 9/4, which is another sign of a close match.
Betting on soccer matches has been tricky to get right this season. Only two teams are unbeaten and only one side has not picked up a draw. There is not a lot to separate the Premier Division this year. While we don’t think this game will finish with a draw, it could happen. Several teams have struggled to find the back of the net, including St Patrick’s Athletic. If they can’t score early on, placing a live bet on a draw at full-time could be a genius move.
The historical meetings between the soccer clubs can be a little misleading heading into round five. St Patrick’s has typically got a result against Shelbourne, including three 1-0 victories in a row. However, Damien Duff’s side had the last laugh, picking up a crucial win in September 2023. Since then, St Patrick’s Athletic has underperformed this season and Shelbourne is on top. Betting on Shelbourne to win either 1-0 or 2-1 has enormous odds of 6/1 and 10/1, respectively.
Looking forward to being back at a jammed Richmond Park on Friday for a huge Dublin derby
🎫 Some home tickets remain for Camac Terrace via our website ➡️ https://t.co/QFZVo3Jv4e
The Main Stand & Patron Stand are totally sold out #StPatsFC #Saints2024 🔴⚪️
📸 @sportsfile pic.twitter.com/JiaSNdpfEG
— St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) March 12, 2024
If you bet on this Premier Division game, be sensible with the amount you stake. The match hangs in the balance, as Shelbourne will need an outstanding performance to secure all three points on the road. Betting on St Patrick’s feels risky this week as they have not looked assured in 2024. A narrow win over Dundalk will settle the nerves, but the visitors are oozing with confidence. Betting on Shelbourne to win feels like the right move on Friday.
As this is such a close game, it could be worth waiting until the match begins before betting. When two teams have this evenly matched face-off, it can often lead to a sub-par performance from both teams. If you are new to sports betting, you can sign up for Novibet and claim a welcome bonus to use on the Dublin Derby. Betting on the home or away side this week has supreme returns, making the risk worth the reward.
St Patrick’s Athletic Team News
St Patrick’s, like many other teams in the League of Ireland Premier Division, had to replace over a dozen departing players. New centre forward Ruairi Keating looks like a great addition to the frontline, scoring two goals in five games. Other players to watch include Jamie Lennon from the middle of the park and Brandon Kavanagh from left midfield. We know how dangerous Lennon can be, but could this be the week Kavanagh steps up?
Shelbourne FC Team News
Will Jarvis is back with a second loan spell from Hull U21. Where would Shelbourne be without him? While he has only scored twice this season, he is proving reliable at the top end of the park. Fellow new signing and centre forward John Martin leads the rest of the team on one goal, along with Sean Boyd, Mark Coyle, John O’Sullivan, and Gavin Molloy. If anybody was going to be on the scoresheet for Shelbourne, it could be Jarvis.
