Shelbourne captain Paddy Barrett insists that Shamrock Rovers are once again the team to beat as his side look to lay down an early season marker against the champions.
Rovers travel to Tolka Park for their belated opening game of the season on Friday night after the clash with Dundalk was postponed last week due to a waterlogged pitch in Tallaght.
Shels played out a 1-1 draw away to Waterford and Barrett is eager to test his side against Rovers, and is hoping to see history repeat itself as the Reds go in search of a second league title in two years.
Barrett pointed to the start of Shelbourne's 2024 campaign when they opened with a 1-1 draw away to Waterford before beating Rovers 2-1 at Tolka in the second game of the season.
Shelbourne went on to lift the league title that season and Barrett is hoping that
He said: "To be honest, if you could handpick how to start your season at home, it'd probably be that Dublin derby against the double champions. There's no better way really to start off the season.
"Their game was cancelled last week, so they'll have fire in the belly. It’s the start of their season and they’re coming away to us.
"The year we won the league, it started this way as well, so hopefully we can get the same result as last time and the same ending as well."
While Rovers go into the season as the defending league and cup champions, there’s plenty of competition for their crown, not league from Derry City who strengthened significantly during the summer and beat the Hoops in the President’s Cup.
However, while Barrett has been impressed by what he’s seen from Derry so far, he still believes that Rovers are the team to beat this season.
"Of course they are," he said. "Look, they're double champions. They've won the league last five of six years. They're the ones everybody talks about - Shamrock Rovers.
"Obviously, there's a lot of talk about Derry, there’s a lot of talk going around the league about them even Bohs or Pat’s, whoever it may be. But ultimately, Shamrock Rovers are that dominating team.
"They've proved it over the last five or six years and they’re ones that everybody wants to catch."
