Alex MacQuoid
Celtic travel to Tolka Park on July 7 for what is, on paper, a very uneven pre-season fixture. Martin O’Neill’s side arrive off the back of five consecutive wins in Scottish Premiership action, having scored three goals in each of those outings. Shelbourne, managed by Lorcan Fitzgerald, have been far more modest in their recent form, picking up just one win in their last three league matches, though they have avoided defeat in that same run.
The interesting wrinkle here is that Celtic have no recorded friendly matches in the last 30 days heading into this one. Their last competitive outing was a 3-1 win over Dunfermline on June 23, and they now make the short trip to Dublin without any warm-up games to tune the legs. Shelbourne, by contrast, have been active in the League of Ireland and will carry some competitive sharpness into this match, even if the quality gap between the sides is substantial.
Two players worth watching on the Shelbourne side are Paddy Barrett, who has been one of their most active outfield players in recent matches, contributing a goal and registering the highest pass count among defenders, and Alistair Coote, who has chipped in with a goal from midfield and shown decent activity in terms of shots on goal. For Celtic, without detailed player data available for recent matches, the squad depth under O’Neill will likely be the decisive factor.
Hot stat: Shelbourne have kept just one clean sheet across their last five League of Ireland fixtures, conceding in four of those matches, including a 3-0 home defeat to Bohemians. Their defensive structure has been inconsistent, which could be tested severely against a Celtic side averaging three goals per game recently.
| 🏆 Tournament: | International Club Friendly 2026, July Phase |
| 🏟 Venue: | Tolka Park, Dublin |
| 🗓️ Date: | 07.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 CEST |
Shelbourne vs Celtic Prediction
Celtic win is the most logical outcome here, and we think it’s the safest angle in this match by a wide margin. The Scottish champions are ranked 89th in the world club rankings compared to Shelbourne’s 521st, and their recent form of five wins from five competitive matches tells its own story. The 64% win rate across 28 matches this year for Celtic contrasts sharply with Shelbourne’s 31% from 26 matches. A friendly setting might mean rotation from O’Neill, but even a Celtic B side would pose serious problems for a team that just lost 0-3 to Bohemians.
Shelbourne’s style of play in recent matches shows a team that commits fouls fairly regularly, 27 across their last five games, and has earned six yellow cards in that same window including one red card. They are not a particularly aggressive pressing side, but they do lose the ball often, registering 30 lost balls for goalkeeper Wessel Speel alone across two matches. Their pass accuracy sits at around 81.8% in aggregate, which is decent for League of Ireland level but likely to drop under pressure from Celtic’s press.
Celtic’s attacking patterns have produced 15 goals across their last five matches at three per game, and their opponents in those fixtures were not soft touches. Rangers, Hearts, and Motherwell were among the sides they beat. Shelbourne, conceding at a rate that has left them with just two wins in their last ten League of Ireland outings, are not well placed to contain that kind of output even in a friendly context.
We think Celtic win by at least two goals, and the total goals market leans heavily toward the over. Corners should also be plentiful given Celtic’s tendency to dominate possession and work the flanks.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Celtic to win both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
Shelbourne’s last five results tell a story of a team that is competitive but fragile. They drew 2-2 with Sligo Rovers most recently, a result that followed a 0-3 defeat to Bohemians and a 1-1 draw with Galway. The 0-0 against Derry City and a 2-1 win over Waterford United round out the picture. Three draws, one win, one loss across five matches. They are not in terrible shape, but they are not playing with any real momentum either. The Bohemians defeat was particularly sharp, conceding three without reply at home, which raises questions about how they will handle Celtic’s forward line.
Paddy Barrett has been their most consistent outfield presence, playing the full 180 minutes across the last two matches and contributing defensively with 131 passes at 84.7% accuracy. Jack Henry-Francis in midfield has been quietly efficient, recording four interceptions and an assist. But the attacking output is thin. Only two goals from the entire squad across the last five matches, both coming from individual efforts rather than any sustained team pattern.
Celtic’s run heading into this friendly is genuinely impressive. Five wins from five, all in the Scottish Premiership, scoring three in each match. The 3-1 win over Dunfermline was the most recent, and before that they beat Hearts 3-1, Motherwell 3-2, Rangers 3-1, and Hibernian 2-1. The Motherwell match was the tightest, conceding twice, but Celtic showed the ability to push through and win. The Rangers result is probably the headline, a 3-1 away win that speaks to the confidence in this squad right now.
The concern for O’Neill coming into a friendly is that Celtic have no warm-up matches logged in the last 30 days outside of competitive fixtures. Pre-season often means squad rotation, trialists, and unfamiliar combinations. Honestly, that might keep the margin closer than it should be, but the individual quality difference between the rosters is too significant to ignore.
🚨Check out our dedicated Shelbourne vs Celtic stats page for more info.
Bookmaker odds have not been provided for this fixture, which is not unusual for a pre-season friendly of this nature. Based on the quality difference between the sides, Celtic would be heavy favourites in any market. A standard Celtic win should carry short odds, and the over 2.5 goals line would likely be priced as a slight favourite given Celtic’s scoring form. BTTS No is the more logical option given Shelbourne’s limited attacking output across their recent matches.
Possible Starting Lineups
Shelbourne Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Wessel Speel
- DF: Kameron Ledwidge, Paddy Barrett, Milan Bernhard Mbeng, Zeno Ibsen Rossi
- MF: Evan Caffrey, ellis chapman, Jack Henry-Francis, Harry Wood
- FW: Alistair Coote, Daniel Kelly
Fitzgerald will likely line up in his preferred 4-2-3-1 shape, with Wessel Speel in goal after featuring in both recent matches. The back four picks itself based on appearances, with Ledwidge and Barrett the most used defenders. Barrett’s ability to contribute in set-piece situations makes him a genuine threat from dead balls, which may be Shelbourne’s best route to goal if they are to cause any surprise. In midfield, Henry-Francis has been the most creative presence, and his interception numbers suggest he also tracks back. Harry Wood’s three free kick attempts in two matches is a small detail worth noting given Celtic’s likely foul count. Coote leads the line in terms of goal contribution from midfield, and Daniel Kelly offers width. This is a 4-2-3-1 that will be asked to defend deep for long stretches.
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Shelbourne. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction
Celtic win is the call here, and we are not hedging on that. The form gap is real. Five wins from five in competitive Scottish Premiership action, three goals per match, wins against Rangers and Hearts. Shelbourne are a League of Ireland side sitting outside the top half of their domestic standings, with two goals scored across five recent matches and a defensive record that has already been picked apart by Bohemians this month.
The one scenario that keeps this interesting is Celtic’s lack of pre-season minutes. No friendly matches logged in the last 30 days means O’Neill’s players will be working off competitive fitness from late June, and a rotated squad at Tolka Park could be a little ragged early on. Shelbourne’s home crowd and competitive sharpness might make the first 20 minutes uncomfortable. But Celtic’s quality will tell.
We think Celtic win comfortably, over 2.5 goals is the total goals call, and BTTS No is worth considering given Shelbourne’s struggles in front of goal. Celtic to win both halves is the hot tip if the odds are available, based on the pattern of how they have been starting and finishing matches in recent weeks.
