Preview: University College Dublin vs. Shelbourne - prediction, team news, lineups

A week after shipping seven goals in their latest League of Ireland defeat, University College Dublin host mid-table Shelbourne on Friday.

Rock-bottom of the Premier Division standings, UCD took just one point from the teams' two previous meetings this year and have won only twice all season.

Match preview

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After beating Sligo Rovers in their final home fixture of June, UCD may have believed they could then defy expectation by turning over title contenders St Patrick's Athletic last week.

However, any such hopes were proved fanciful, as a second-half collapse saw Andy Myler's men thumped 7-0 at Richmond Park; leaving them marooned 13 points adrift of second-bottom Cork City.

The Students are still to record consecutive top-flight victories after a wait of nearly nine years, and beating the drop this season would now require a minor miracle.

As they prepare to host the league's only other side to average less than a goal per game in 2023, UCD have also been unable to stem the tide at the other end this term; leaking 57 goals in all, at a rate of more than 2.5 per match.

Seven days after St Pat's handed them a hiding, the next team to try their luck will be a Shelbourne side in need of positive results, following a run of one win from seven league games.

Damien Duff, who guided Shels to a seventh-placed finish last year, has successfully achieved his goal of making the Drumcondra club tough to beat, and his team boast the best defensive record in the division.

However, only UCD have a less prolific attack: after failing to score against St Pat's a fortnight ago - the fourth time Shelbourne had done so in six matches - Sean Boyd's strike earned them a 1-1 draw with Derry City last time out in the league.

Now Duff, who has lost first-team coach Alan Quinn to a four-month ban due to betting offences, will surely expect a better effort this Friday, when Shels start strong favourites to prevail.

Sitting sixth in the table, and still not out of the running for Europe, the Reds have just been drawn against Bohemians in the FAI Cup first round, which means their next two matches will be versus their local rivals. Success this week would set them up nicely for that challenge.

Team News

Following his opening goal in last week's draw with Derry, Shelbourne striker Sean Boyd has been nominated for the League of Ireland's 'Player of the Month' award, and the 25-year-old will start up front for the visitors on Friday.

Conor Kane captained a much-changed XI in Shels' midweek Leinster Senior Cup semi-final defeat, and having completed his comeback from a serious knee injury will now compete for a place in defence.

While young goalkeeper Daithi Folan made his first-team debut in Monday's cup game, Conor Kearns is set to return between the posts at the UCD Bowl.

UCD, meanwhile, could make multiple changes following their dismal second-half display against St Pat's though teenage striker Jake Doyle - who scored the late winner against Sligo last month - should be among those retained.

Jack Keaney captains the hosts from defence, as part of a likely 4-2-3-1 formation. Mikey Raggett, Lennon Gill, Mark Dignam are all sidelined by injury.

University College Dublin possible starting lineup:

Moore; Babb, Keaney, O'Brien, Osam; Wells, Gallagher; Nolan, Kinsella-Bishop, Norris; Doyle

Shelbourne possible starting lineup:

Kearns; Quinn, Molloy, Griffin; T. Wilson, Coyle, Lunney, Caffrey, J. Wilson; Moylan, Boyd

We say: University College Dublin 0-2 Shelbourne

Neither side is particularly potent in the final third - they have only 34 goals between them all season. UCD will be rattled by their hammering last time out, and even if they manage to keep their visitors at bay for a while, goal-shy Shelbourne must surely find a way through the league's leakiest defence.

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