Shelbourne vs Derry City Predictions

Shelbourne vs Derry City predictions ahead of this clash in the Irish Premier Division. Shelbourne aim for back-to-back League of Ireland Premier Division wins as they host Derry City on Friday, looking to build momentum in front of their home crowd. Read on for our free predictions and betting tips.

 League of Ireland  | June 20 2025 at 7:45 pm UK at Tolka Park

Shelbourne vs Derry City Predictions

Can Shelbourne Make Home Advantage Count Against Derry’s Stuttering Form?

• Shelbourne are regular scorers at home
  • They’ve found the net in four consecutive league games and notched three goals against Sligo just last month, showing improved attacking form.
• Derry can’t keep it clean on the road
  • The visitors have conceded in five of their last six away games, a clear weakness Shelbourne’s forwards will aim to exploit.
• Tight margins define Shelbourne’s wins
  • Six of their seven league victories have come by a single-goal margin, suggesting they know how to edge close contests.

Best Bet for Shelbourne vs Derry City

Friday night’s encounter at Tolka Park has all the ingredients for a tightly contested League of Ireland Premier Division clash, with Shelbourne and Derry City separated by a mere two points. Both clubs have European aspirations, but inconsistency has plagued their seasons so far, leaving them jostling for position in the middle of the table rather than truly chasing Shamrock Rovers at the summit.

Shelbourne come into this game on the back of a narrow but gritty win over St Patrick’s Athletic, a result that brought a much-needed lift to a side that had managed just one win in their previous five. They’ve not exactly set the division alight this term — hardly the form you’d expect from reigning champions — but there’s a quiet confidence about Damien Duff’s side when they’re at home. A total of 16 points from 11 home matches is solid enough, though it hardly screams fortress. Still, they’ve found the net in each of their last four league outings, which bodes well heading into this one.

Derry, meanwhile, have been all over the place. Winless in their last four league matches and struggling to find any fluency, they’ve drawn blanks at key moments and have leaked goals in games they were in control of. Their recent 1-1 draw with Galway United epitomised their campaign — flashes of good play undone by poor finishing and defensive lapses. With two games in hand, they aren’t out of the European race just yet, but their performances on the road haven’t exactly inspired faith.

Best Bet: Shelbourne to Win

Here at BettingTips4You, we don’t drown you in a sea of betting options. We provide one premium selection per match, chosen for its value and reasoning, making your decision straightforward and our accountability crystal clear. And for this clash in Dublin, Shelbourne to win is our Best Bet.

Why back the Reds? Well, firstly, Derry are wobbling. They’ve failed to win in their last four outings and have conceded in five of their last six away matches. For a team hoping to stay in the top half, that’s not a great look. And while they have attacking quality — Michael Duffy and Danny Mullen have a combined 11 goals — they’ve lacked control in midfield and cohesion in defence.

Shelbourne aren’t blowing teams away, but they know how to scrap out results. Their record of scoring in each of their last four league games is significant, especially considering Derry’s shaky backline. And let’s not ignore the psychological factor — Shelbourne beat Derry 3-1 in their last home meeting. That sort of memory lingers, even if form has dipped since.

The expected presence of Ali Coote and Sean Boyd in the attacking third gives Shelbourne bite, while Mark Coyle’s work rate in midfield is crucial in disrupting Derry’s rhythm. As for the visitors, missing Cameron Dummigan limits their options and adds another hole to patch in an already frayed squad.

To summarise, Shelbourne aren’t perfect, far from it. But at home, against a Derry side losing direction, they have the edge.

As BettingTips4You.com expert Mark Wighan notes:

“When two evenly matched sides collide, form and confidence matter. And right now, Shelbourne have just enough of both to grind this one out. Expect a hard-fought home win.”

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Predicted Correct Score: Shelbourne 2-1 Derry City

This one’s unlikely to be pretty. But Shelbourne’s edge in attacking moments, paired with Derry’s inability to keep clean sheets on the road, makes a 2-1 home win feel like the most logical outcome. A narrow margin, but an important one for Duff’s men.

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