One more matchday for League of Ireland Premier Division clubs before the International break and its fair to say that the teams who were in dire need of a win for the most part delivered. Its also fair to say they delivered a crushing blow to this predictions column as I predicted losses for both Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians only to see them upset the form book and finally begin to live up to pre-season expectations!
So how did we score last week overall? A pretty dismal one correct score in the Premier Division and one correct score and one correct result in the First Division made for a pretty miserable night overall for the column but a new week has dawned and hopefully normal service will be resumed this week.
We have four games in both divisions tonight with two games down for decision Saturday night one from each division. So how do we see the games going this week? Let’s find out!
Drogheda United vs Shamrock Rovers
Take a bow Drogheda! They became the 3rd team in as many games to take top spot in the Premier Division and nobody can say its not richly deserved! To go and win at the home of the reigning champions who it’s hard to argue have had too many disappointing results up the that match was a real turn-up for the books! It doesn’t get any easier for them after their heroics of last week with Shamrock Rovers coming to town. The leaders will have their work cut out keeping their undefeated record
It was a vital victory for Rovers last week and one that was vital in helping them keep the leaders within touching distance at the top. There was an element of luck in Danny Grants goal and who knows how lucky that might be come the end of the season. Rovers will also know victory tonight and in their game in hand against Cork would propel them right back into the title race
I’ve a sneaking suspicion for Rovers tonight but Drogheda have proved me wrong one too many times this season ( not that I think they won’t do well more that I keep on thinking that this is the match they will slip up in!) I’m going for the relative safety of a draw here!
Drogheda United 1 Shamrock Rovers 1
Galway United vs Waterford FC
Another team to prove me wrong last Friday night (there were a lot of them) was Galway. A 1-1 draw at the Ryan McBride once again underlined how difficult Galway are to beat this season and having seen them turned over by Bohemians last Friday night will probably feel pretty confident playing Waterford tonight on home soil
Waterford were blown away by Bohemians in a first half burst that will have disappointed Keith Long against his old club. To give up top spot so easily first time out might take a little time to get over and it might affect them again tonight!
Galway have been tough to beat so far this season and I can see that unbeaten record continuing into the international break
Prediction Galway United 2 Waterford FC 1
Shelbourne vs Cork City
Shels loss last week left me shell-shocked (pun intended) last week losing at home to Drogheda and it probably will reinforce in Damian Duffs mind how difficult it is to retain a League title purely because everybody is that much more motivated playing the Champions.
That being said Duff the player has experience of retaining League titles as a player so will know what it takes to keep the title. He’ll know that key to that is not losing twice in a row at Tolka Park
Cork considering the injury issues they have had will have probably been quietly satisfied with the draw with a resurgent Sligo last time out even though it was a home game. Tim Clancy will know that this is one of the toughest matches they will face all season and they will know that they will face an onslaught at the beginning of the game against the wounded Shelbourne.
I can’t see anything other than a home win here. A Shels side with a point to prove will do what it takes to take the 3 points and I imagine it might be fairly comfortably!
Prediction: Shelbourne 2 Cork City 0
St Patrick’s Athletic Vs Bohemians
A Dublin Derby is the last game on the menu for tonight and the form book so far for both teams were flipped last week which makes this game a tough one to call. Pats will feel that it was probably a missed opportunity last week against Shamrock Rovers to deliver a crushing blow to their title chances.
Stephen Kenny particularly with his own history at Rovers will probably feel a bit disappointed at the way things unfolded particularly the nature of the winning goal
For Alan Reynolds last week gave him the opportunity to take a big sigh of relief after the last few results had gone against them. Colm Whelan’s hat-trick a nice return to scoring form for a player who has struggled with his fair share of injuries in the past couple of years.
Another big performance tonight would ease a little more pressure off his back.
I think tonight might be Bohs night to pull off an upset. I dont think there will be many goals in this one.
Prediction: St Patricks Athletic 0 Bohemians 1
Sligo Rovers vs Derry City (Saturday Night)
A North West Derby between the bottom two tomorrow night and while Sligo were more likely to be in this position than Derry were at the season its the Yeats County men who find themselves ahead on goal difference of their opponents tomorrow night. Sligo resurgence continued Friday night with the draw in Cork and they will be looking to put a bit of a gap between themselves and Derry with a win tomorrow would give them a buffer!
@blogirish wrote a cracking piece on the website this week about what Derry can do to go one better this season and its well worth a read! Derry stopped the rot last week but they will be disappointed to find themselves in the position they are in.
They obviously have players who are much more experienced battling at the other end of the table so the longer this poor run goes on for the questions will begin to build against this team. They will be determined to try and bounce back this week with a win but I’m not too sure they will get it.
I think this might be the game of the weekend. Sligo have for the most part been prolific in front of goal and Derry do have the players to carve open a slowly improving Sligo Defence. A draw!
Result Sligo Rovers 3 Derry City 3
So on to the First Division here is what I think will happen tonight!
Treaty United 1 Wexford 2
Finn Harps 0 Cobh Ramblers 1
Bray Wanderers 1 Dundalk 3
Athlone Town 0 UCD 1
Longford Town 1 Kerry FC 1 (Saturday Night)
So there you have it we will hope to do a column with a bit of depth on the First Division next week as there are still games played there next week as we look forward to the coming international window. In the meantime enjoy yourselves with another cracking weekend from the #greatestleagueintheworld!
Happy Patrick’s Weekend!