Shels title challenge rising in intensity

SHELBOURNE boss Pat Fenlon said their unbeaten run over the past five games was a solid indication that Shels' challenge for the Eircom National League title was rising in intensity.

Shels won four of their last five games and tonight they face a critical test against a Shamrock Rovers team smarting from their cup final defeat by Derry City.

Said Fenlon: "We are second in the table and equal top-scorers with the leaders Bohs, so we are moving in the right direction. Our recent form has been good and I believe we are building up momentum for a good

challenge on Bohs' position."

But first Shels must cope with Shamrock Rovers and they have a few complications with injuries likely to keep Tony McCarthy, Barry Prendeville and Tony Sheridan sidelined. They had recent signing Paul Beavers on the bench last week when they beat Longford Town and he will come into the picture for a place in the starting team along with striker Alex Nesovic, the former Bohs, Finn Harps and Dundalk player who was signed this week.

Shamrock's manager Liam Buckley struggled to put into words the reaction to their 1-0 defeat by Derry in the cup final.

He said: "We never played to our potentialand our performance was a massive disappointment to everybody at the club.

"We were so looking forward to winning the cup again after all these years. Now we just have to put it behind us and get back to the business of winning league points."

Rovers are better off than Shelbourne as regards injuries for their only doubt is left-back Richie Byrne who suffered a dead leg after a clash in the cup final. But he is expected to play.

Cup winners Derry City face a difficult match at Richmond Park where St Patrick's Athletic will welcome the fact they are not playing another Dublin team local derbies have cost them dearly this season.

Derry can climb to fourth place in the league table if they win here and manager Kevin Mahon said their qualification for Europe through the cup final would not cause any dilution of their ambitions in the competition.

"We have had a run of 11 matches without loss and it is important to us that we extend this. We are still in mid-table and I want us to finish as high in the table as we possibly can," he said.

Derry have said goodbye to former Irish international striker David Kelly, who is assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers and flew in especially for the cup final. They will again be without Gary Beckett who was unlucky enough to be kept out of the final by his injury.

Derry also have worries about Liam Coyle and their young midfielder Sean Friars, both of whom received calf muscle injuries at Tolka Park, while Jamie Hughes and Tom McCallion are back in the picture.

St Pat's completed the signing of former Irish youths' international Ryan Casey this week and he is a likely starter for them.

He was signed from Swansea City and won a European U18 Championship medal with Ireland in Cyprus in 1998. Zimbabwe international Tostao Kwashi who was signed from Gravesend in the Vauxhall Conference. He is likely to be on the bench against Derry.

Pat's held leaders Bohs to adraw last time out and they will be strengthened for this match by the return after

suspension of full-back Trevor Croly and Philip Hughes. They will be hoping Paul Osam and Mbabazi

Livingstone come through fitness tests.