Shamrock Rovers vs UCD Predictions

• Shamrock Rovers have won five of their last seven home games, three of them to nil.
• UCD have conceded at least three goals in each of their last five league games – all defeats.
• Shamrock Rovers have won each of the last 15 meetings with UCD by a combined score of 49-3

Students can’t deny Hoops another easy win

Shamrock Rovers should collect another facile victory against UCD when they host the Students at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.  Stephen Bradley’s extended their lead over rivals Derry City to four points on Monday and are priced up at 1/16 to make it three wins in a row here.

The oddsmakers think it’s a foregone conclusion because history suggests it really is. UCD have lost 15 games in a row against the Hoops and scored just three goals while conceding 49 times during that losing run.

The question is how many goals will Rovers get and the answer is usually three or four, which is why their goal line is set at even money for over 3.5.

UCD are trending in the wrong direction

UCD are perhaps worse defensively this year than last, when they shipped just under two goals per game and staved off relegation in the play-offs. This year’s total of 45 conceded from 19 games is bad and going in the wrong direction after five straight defeats in which they have shipped three goals or more.

There should be confidence in the champions covering a -2 goal handicap here, as they have done in seven of their last ten head-to-head meetings – including both games this season.

Another 3-0 victory seems likely here given Rovers did not score after the 71st minute in either of their previous two meetings once the three-goal cushion had been established and it may take UCD getting one to entice them to go after a fourth.

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