Old rivals need their season to take off

THE FAI may have changed their social media handles from ‘FAI Ireland’ to ‘Ireland Football’ but the identities of Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers, forged in Ringsend, will remain permanent for as long as football is played on this island. The longest-standing rivalry reconvenes at Tolka Park tonight (7.45) with question marks over both teams just four games into the season. Shels are struggling to score goals, Rovers are struggling to keep a clean sheet. Improbably, the teams have won just one of eight games between them and find themselves in the lower reaches of the table. The Hoops have coughed up six goals in their last two games, which is unheard of under Stephen Bradley (right), especially as they were at Tallaght Stadium. Last season, the Hoops dropped four points in 18 league games at home; this season they’ve already given up five, losing 2-1 to Derry City and drawing 4-4 with Cork City. Now Bradley has called on his defenders to cut out the ‘basic errors’ which have blighted their performances so far. Should that come to pass, starting tonight, then the Hoops have sufficient firepower to start putting teams away. ‘I think our attacking play on Friday night was brilliant and on Monday was just as good. It was 4-4 but it could have been 6-6 or we could have won 8-6,’ said Bradley. After ‘an off night’ for his defenders, Bradley will shake things up against the Reds. Pico Lopes will return and Seán Hoare could also be pushing for a place. Gary O’Neill, an interim centre-half, should revert to his preferred midfield position. So far the goals have not exactly flowed for Shels. With Seán Boyd out for a number of months, they need others to step up. This duel under lights always lights up a Friday night and Damien Duff will have the Reds revved up from the off.