Hoops return to league action after international break

SHAMROCK Rovers find themselves back in action this Easter weekend as they return to play following the International break.

They travel to Waterford on Friday evening before hosting Shelbourne on Monday evening in this next round of fixtures.

Rovers currently sit third in the league table after the first eight rounds of fixtures played and have fully caught up to the rest of the teams in the league after their start had been delayed by two weeks due to waterlogged pitches.

Despite sitting in third spot they have only lost a single game so far this season, that being a 3-2 defeat in Dalymount to crosstown rivals Bohemians.

The youth in particular have impressed this season so far with Corey O’Sullivan and Victor Ozhianvuna cementing themselves as starters in the first team alongside new signing Adam Brennan with the teenager arriving from UCD during the winter break.

They will see the game against Waterford as a must win affair on Friday night with The Blues firmly rooted to the foot of the table having failed to win any of their opening eight games.

This is not the start that they would have expected given that the club had a relatively strong transfer window which included keeping talisman goal scorer Podge Amond as well as tying down star player Conan Noonan who was on loan from Shamrock Rovers to a permanent deal.

For Rovers these are points that they can not afford to drop, particularly given that Pats and Bohs look to be strong teams this year.

The game against Shelbourne however will not be as straightforward with Rovers hosting fourth place Shelbourne in Tallaght Stadium on Monday evening.

Under the stewardship of Joey O’Brien, the 2024 league champions have also lost just once this season, the lone defeat coming courtesy of St Patrick’s Athletic.

Rovers and Shelbourne met in Tolka Park earlier on in the month in the reverse league fixture in a game that Rovers got a draw from after clawing back a 2-0 deficit in the first half.

They will be hoping to go one better and secure all three points with a home crowd behind them.