FULL TIME: It’s pole position for Shelbourne in the race for Europe as Will Jarvis’ first half strike after three minutes gave the home side the previous three points that will see them breathing down the necks of Bohemians for that coveted fourth place. Dundalk huffed and puffed and looked the better side for large part of the game but like most of their season were left to flatter to deceive as they couldn’t muster an equaliser that all but seals the fate that European football will evade Oriel Park next year.

YELLOW: Kameron Ledwidge is added to the book.

YELLOW: Connor Malley is booked for a foul on Harry Wood.

CHANCE: A corner from corner was met by Brownlie which goes wide.

ADDED TIME: Nine added minutes here.

There appears to be a medical emergency at Tolka as members of the medical team on standby rush to a supporter. Both sides are at thier respective benches. We hope the person that has taken ill is ok.

SHOT: Harry Wood once again finds himself in space but like his shot a few moments later just flies wide from the Hull loanee.

SUB: Brian McManus is carried off after that challenge by John Martin. Kameron Ledwedge replaces him.

YELLOW: John Martin is booked for a hefty challenge.

SHOT: Wood has a shot in anger but it flashes wide of Sheppards far post.

SUB: Brian McManus is on for Jarvis for Shels second change.

SUB: Ryan O'Kane on for his 70th appearance for Dundalk. A year ago tomorrow he scored his first league goal for the club in the 2-1 defeat to St Pat's at Oriel Park. Cameron Elliott is on for his 25th appearance for the club

YELLOW: Darren Brownlie is booked for a foul

SUB: Shelbourne make thier first change as Shane Farrell is on for Caffrey.

SUB: John Martin on for Yli-Kokko Martin scored his first goal for Dundalk with an 85th minute winner from Keith Ward’s pass to earn his side a 2-1 win over Shelbourne at Oriel Park on April 22nd 2022. He also scored against them in the 1-1 draw in Oriel Park 2 months ago today

CHANCE: Jack Moylan breaks free of the Dundalk defence as he evades Brownlie and looks certain to shoot but he lost his footing in the area.

SUB: A double change for Dundalk as Muller is on for Durrant and Malley is on for Doyle

CHANCE: Good ball in from the right by Davies but Hoban can't direct it on target under pressure from Molloy, he has a shot on goal but the effort is blocked down. Dundalk looking to turn the screw here.

POSITIVE RESTART: Both sides have had a positive restart with having phases of attack but nothing of note so far.

RESTART: Dundalk restart proceedings for the second half.

HALF TIME: Shelbourne the better side in the first half and are a goal to the good but Dundalk have had chances to get back into the contest. As things stand Jarvis' goal has put the Reds in pole position of this contest.

CHANCE: Some excellent build up for Dundalk and Paul Doyle with an excellent curling effort that just goes wide.

YELLOW: Archie Davies gets a yellow card.

YELLOW: Coyle breaks free of Horgan and the Dundalk midfielder clips it on the run and he is given a yellow.

YELLOW: Wood gets a yellow for a foul on Yli-Kokko, Dundalk have free kick which is sent into the Shelbourne area that Paddy Barrett clears.

SHOT: Moylan has an effort blocked down for a corner which the home side don't take advantage of.

First sight on goal for Dundalk as a cross is sent into the Shelbourne area but no one was there to attack it and Kearns collects it comfortably.

YELLOW: For a foul on Wood Daniel Kelly enters the book.

CHANCE: What a chance from Jack Moylan, he collects the ball from Jarvis and evades the challenge from Browlie and hits a low effort that just whistles past the post, he follows that up seconds later after he beats Sloggett for the ball and it just flies over the bar. Two massive chances for the home side.

PRESS: Dundalk are looking to play a high press on Dundalk but the passing in the final third has not made the connections that they required. O'Donnell cutting a frustrated figure on the sidelines.

THE TASK AHEAD: An insight to the task that lies ahead of Dundalk if they're to win tonight... Shelbourne have only conceded two or more goals on three occasions this season and only once here when they beat Drogheda Utd 3-2 in June. Ironically Dundalk are the only side to come from behind to beat them, 2-1 in Oriel Park in March

SHOT: Archie Davies with a short pass to Paul Doyle to hits a long range effort from some 40 yards out and it looked as if it could test Kearns but it veers wide at the last minute and wide.

CHANCE: Jack Moylan broke off from the attentions of Greg Sloggett and looked to be one on one with the keeper only for Sloggett to recover and the ball is deflected for a corner, the second ball from that set piece goes out for a throw in to Dundalk.

First concession: For the sixth consecutive Friday in-a-row Dundalk go behind. Dundalk have now fallen behind in 22 of their 33 league games so far this season.

GOAL: In Shelbournes first attack with intent, the overload on the right sees the ball fed across to Will Jarvis to keeps his composure to evade the challenge of Nathan Sheppard and slam it to the roof of the net.

KICK OFF: Shelbourne gets us underway and the race for Europe begins - too much to lose and all to gain. This is massive.

ARRIVALS: The teams are out on the pitch! Shelbourne in the full red kit and Dundalk in Black and White.

HOBAN 300: Patrick Hoban plays the 300th league game of his League of Ireland career tonight. His header against Drogheda Utd last Friday was the club’s 50th goal in the league this season.

REF WATCH: Tonight’s referee is Eoghan O’Shea. The Tipperary native will be assisted by Dermot Broughton and Shane O’Brien with David Dunne the 4th official. This is the Roscrea man’s first time refereeing a Dundalk game.

CAPITAL: Dundalk have won just two games in Dublin under Stephen O’Donnell – 1-0 away to Bohemians in August 2022 and 2-0 away to UCD in May 2023.

2013: 10 years ago today Dundalk lost 1-0 away to Drogheda Utd in the FAI Cup semi-finals with Gavin Brennan’s 31st minute penalty deciding the game after Darren Meenan and Chris Shields had been sent-off. That remains Dundalk’s last game on October 6th.

2018: Five years ago yesterday Dundalk won its last league title under current Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny as Patrick Hoban scored a 90th minute equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw at home to St Patrick’s Athletic which saw the Lilywhites clinch the title with 4 games to spare.

TOLKA PARK: Dundalk’s last win over Shelbourne at Tolka Park came under Vinny Perth in February 2020 when first half goals from Andy Boyle and Patrick Hoban made Gary Deegan’s strike early in the second half irrelevant in a game which finished 2-1.

IN THE PAST: Shels’ last league win over Dundalk was in Oriel Park in September 2012 when Paddy Kavanagh scored the only goal in a match in which Mark Griffin was sent-off in for the hosts. Their last win over Dundalk at Tolka was in July 2012. It was 4-0 that night with Philip Gorman scoring two with Kevin Dawson also on target and Ben McLaughlin scoring an own goal.

IN THE PAST: It’s the 307th meeting of Shels and Dundalk tonight in all competitions and the 179th league game. In all competitions against Shels, Dundalk’s record reads W129, D69 and L108. In the league it is W77, D42 and L59. Leaving aside a 4-2 defeat in the Leinster Senior Cup final in October 2017 and the 4-0 Leinster Senior Cup defeat in March, Dundalk haven’t lost in their last 18 matches against Shels, winning 13 and drawing 5 - three times at Tolka Park and twice at Oriel Park. Of the last 7 league matches between the sides, there have been 5 draws.

DUFF VS O'DONNELL: Damien Duff has yet to get the better of O’Donnell in league management with two defeats and five draws in their seven meetings to date. O’Donnell and Stephen Bradley are the two current LOI managers he has yet to win against. Duff faces a touchline ban tonight for “disparaging comments and/or actions”.

LAST MEETING: The last meeting between the two clubs came 2 months ago today on August 6th at Oriel Park when John Martin’s 39th minute opener was cancelled out by Harry Wood 7 minutes from the end as the game finished 1-1.

HAPPY 150? : It's game number 150 in management tonight for Stephen O’Donnell – his 80th for Dundalk. His 70th win came last Friday against Drogheda Utd.

TEAM NEWS: Dundalk are unchanged from their 3-1 win over Drogheda Utd last Friday with Andy Boyle and Connor Malley, who combined for the winner against Shels in Oriel back in March, back on the bench. For Shelbourne they make one change from their defeat to Rovers last week with Shane Griffin in for Cabral.

Hello and Welcome from FinalWhistle HQ - Ciaran Callan here to take you through tonights action from Tolka Park as the 'Race for Europe' really hots us with five games to go.