Shamrock Rovers v Waterford, Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm – Live on LOITV and RTÉ News channel
Danny Mandroiu is an injury doubt and Dan Cleary is suspended for Shamrock Rovers’ dramatically late bid to clinch a fifth successive League of Ireland title.
The permutations are uncomplicated; victory over Keith Long’s Waterford keeps the Premier Division trophy in Tallaght, where it has resided since 2020, if Shelbourne cannot bank three points against Derry City at the Brandywell.
If Shelbourne only manage to draw with Derry, a win will see Rovers crowned champions as they have a superior goal difference to Damien Duff’s team.
Ten thousand fans are expected down Whitestown Way to witness a unique moment in the club’s history. The great 1980s Rovers team only managed four in a row.
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Nothing Rovers do will matter if Shels beat Derry, but the season is very much alive for Stephen Bradley’s squad as next Thursday, Welsh champions The New Saints come to Tallaght for match three in the Uefa Conference League.
Bradley could have been describing Derry’s plastic pitch when discussing the Dylan Watts match winner in last Sunday’s vital 1-0 win over Dundalk on the artificial Oriel Park surface.
“It’s always the pitch,” he said. “It’s such a problem there, it changes the game. It slows the game down, the bounce of the ball, it changes everything about it.
“That’s always the problem up there. It looks and feels a completely different game because of it. So I think that had more to do with our first half, it took a bit of getting used to.”
That is the Rovers season in a nutshell. They went winless in their opening five matches but nine points from the last three, since a sobering 3-0 loss to St Pat’s on September 27th, brings them to the cusp of glory.
Watts has been outstanding in midfield, and he was deservedly shortlisted for player of the year alongside Waterford striker Pádraig Amond and Derry winger Michael Duffy.
“I’ve said it a number of times and people might say I’m biased, but I think Dylan’s been the best in the country by a mile,” said Bradley. “I don’t think anyone has been near him and that’s no disrespect to Michael Duffy or Pádraig Amond who are also nominated.
“Pádraig has been the best forward domestically we’ve faced all season and Michael has real ability, we know that. But I think Dylan has been on a different level to everyone this year.”
