Rovers try to edge way into title race

Shamrock Rovers manager Damien Richardson will be looking to further open up the race at the top of the Eircom-sponsored league this evening in Tolka Park. But Pat Fenlon says leaders Shelbourne's aim in tonight's televised game will be to show the sort of single-mindedness they lacked a couple of seasons ago when the title eluded them on the final night of the campaign.

"Last week was a disappointment," says Fenlon of the defeat in Derry, "but there's no pressure, to be honest nobody at the club even discussed it afterwards.

"After losing the league in Dundalk a few years ago people were taught a lesson, you can't look any further ahead than the game you have to play. We had the players to win the title then and we have now but Dermot (Keely) has put in something that he thought was missing, a bit of resilience, and that's what we'll be looking to show people out there against Rovers."

Richardson knows that while Shelbourne will be keen to bounce back from the defeat at the Brandywell the key thing for the home side this evening will be not to lose to Rovers, thereby allowing them back into the championship race.

"I think that the bottom line is that would the most important thing for them all right but that's not to say that they'll be defensive, I think they'll look to win the game - as we will - and hopefully between us we can show people at home that this league is capable of throwing up good, entertaining games on a consistent basis."

The former Shelbourne boss will be bringing the highest scoring team in the league back to Tolka with him where they will be up against the tightest defence, but injuries to key players like Graham Lawlor, Terry Palmer and Brian Byrne couldn't have come at a worse time for the visitors.

"I think these things even themselves out over the course of a championship but obviously I'd be hoping that at least a couple of the players who are struggling get to play in the game. For them it's another opportunity to prove themselves, they've already shown how far they've come recently against the league champions, what better way to follow that up than to put one over on the league leaders?"