By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers will travel to Tolka Park on Saturday for a crucial Women’s Premier Division game against title-chasing Shelbourne with kick-off at the Dublin venue is set for 4pm.

Sligo Rovers will go into this encounter without Annie McKinley, who has departed following a short stay, and her absence will provide manager Steve Feeney with a selection headache at the heart of the defence.

There are also doubts about Katie Melly, Kate Nugent and Lauren Devaney, but the Bit O’Red has posed problems for the Dublin side in the past, usually when it was least expected.

Both teams will go into this encounter on the back of defeats last weekend, but the Dublin women will be focused on regaining a place at the top of the table at the expense of Athlone Town, who will be in European action.

A victory for Shelbourne will give them a two-point margin at the summit, although Athlone will have a game in hand.

However, Shelbourne lost to Athlone last Saturday and also finished the game with 10 players following the dismissal of Jemma Quinn. Prior to that they exited the FAI Cup on home turf when they were beaten by Shamrock Rovers.

The last two victories for Shelbourne were achieved against Waterford (2-1) and Cork City (2-0), similar to the last two wins for the Bit O’Red, although Steve Feeney’s side won by 2-0 on each occasion.

Using that as a form guide suggests that there won’t be much between the sides on Saturday, but Shelbourne have already won twice against the Rovers, including a hard-earned 3-1 WPD victory last June where Kate Mooney claimed a hat-trick. There was also a 5-0 win in the final qualifying round of the All-Island Cup.

However, the Bit O’Red players will relish the challenge of tackling Shelbourne, with the prospect of causing an upset a major motivator.

Players of the calibre of Paula McGrory, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney and Leah Kelly have the experience to provide the inspiration that could frustrate a Shelbourne side that will be expecting to record a comfortable victory.

Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers is live on LOITV with kick-off at 4pm.