1. Can Derry keep in touch?
It’s still early days in the season but with their free-scoring forwards and mean defence, champions Sligo Rovers are already threatening to open up the kind of points gap that could be very difficult to bridge later on.
Declan Devine’s Derry City are next best and with Sligo not in action until tomorrow, they can close the gap to just two points with a win against Bohemians in tonight’s televised game.
The Candystripes’ young guns have been in scorching form, not least Michael Rafter who already has five goals since his move from Dundalk. But the bobbly Dalymount pitch hasn’t been the easiest test for visiting sides and the result will likely hinge on how Devine’s men deal with the challenge.
2. A chance for Pat’s to find their goal-den touch
An inconsistent start and some bad luck with the weather have combined to leave St Patrick’s Athletic with just four points so far. The Inchicore side have two games in hand over the majority of the league so their position isn’t overly worrying yet, but Saints fans will be slightly concerned by their inability to find the net. Pat’s have only scored three goals, one of those coming from the penalty spot thanks to Killian Brennan.
Only struggling UCD have conceded more than Bray so far this season so tonight’s trip to the seaside looks to be a perfect chance for Liam Buckley’s men to find their touch and kick-start a move up the table.
3. Late lapses costing City
In each of their last three games, late goals have cost Cork City dearly. After losing to a Rory Patterson goal against Derry, Cork’s 10 men were sucker punched by a Shamrock Rovers equaliser in stoppage time last week and again saw their three points snatched away by a Fabio O’Brien penalty on Monday.
If games only lasted 85 minutes Cork would already be five points better off this season but barring a special dispensation in the rules, Tommy Dunne will have to find a way to maintain his side’s concentration so that they can get the rewards their overall performances deserve.
4. Surprise packages clash in Oriel
Even with an accomplished manager like Stephen Kenny at the helm, few would have expected to see Dundalk riding high in third after their first six games of the season. Unusually it is the Lilywhites’ home form that has let them down (two points from a possible nine) and so they will have their work cut out for them against a Limerick side who have similarly surprised on their return to the top flight.
Lims’ only win so far was at home to UCD but draws against Cork, Drogheda and most recently Shamrock Rovers have shown that they will be a tough side to break down this season. Tonight will be an excellent test of both sides’ credentials and may well hint at their respective trajectories in the weeks to come.
5. Night of the nailed-on draw in Tallaght?
Shamrock Rovers have drawn five of their six games so far; Drogheda United have drawn four of theirs. If we were gambling men, we know where our money would be.
Airtricity League fixtures (all Friday, 7.45pm unless stated)
Premier Division
- Bohemians v Derry City (Friday, 7.05pm)
- Bray Wanderers v St. Patrick’s Athletic
- Cork City v UCD
- Dundalk v Limerick
- Shamrock Rovers v Drogheda United (Friday, 8pm)
- Sligo Rovers v Shelbourne (Saturday, 7.45pm)
First Division
- Salthill Devon v Cobh Ramblers
- Waterford United v Athlone Town
- Finn Harps v Wexford Youths (Friday, 8pm)
- Longford Town v Mervue United (Saturday, 7.30pm)
I take it that you have attended Loi games? Do you follow a team from a stand or a bar stool?
No mate I don’t support garbage…
But fair play to you to go & watch your god awful team in the god awful weather….
I just can’t believe they actually show it on d telly
the loi is the reason alot of people dont pay there tv licence
I don’t think the Loi is sole reason people don’t pay the license fee, I find the pay packets of the stars of rte may have more to do with that. The league may not be the best at time but there is good games and players, to name check 3 long Coleman and hoolahan have played here
Have a day off mate will ya
no the reason is the league of ireland enjoy watching your mind poison the weekend
Great reply
Its r.t.e .. What do you expect. Here’s way you don’t have to pay t.v licence .just never open your door. It works like a gem
So what are you suggesting? He should be like you instead and go over to England to and pay £70+ to watch that “god awful” football they have over there, like that high quality Chelsea v Man Utd snoozefest on Monday?
Get real about your beloved english premier league, look at teams like Norwich, Southampton, Reading etc, they’re made up of mainly LOI standard players!…
The current Ireland side has almost a dozen former LOI players in it thesedays…
Fair enough if you prefer sitting on your bar stool or you simply don’t like LOI stadiums/fans, but to say that the 2013 (not the 90s) LOI standard is “awful” shows how little you really know about respective “standards” of modern football.
Thesedays loi is on par with the top of league 1, with a sprinkling of premier league and championship quality players,
Much, much better value for money (and infinitely more fun and meaningful) than the dreadfully overhyped english premier league, which itself contains many, many former LOI and league 1 players.
Aiden are u watching the same football as us. Chelsea won champions league last year all be it a fluke . Unt won it 3 years ago . And were in finals . If u look over the last ten champions leagues except this year premership teams have been very successful in champions league . To compare them to Irish league is like comparing Paul mc shane to messi + ronaldo .
Paul mc shame is an absolute hero he would run rings around that dwarf messi
money is also a factor in this.. really gonna try compare united and chelsea to a LOI team? Cop on! it’s about supporting local football! until this year I really couldn’t;t have been bothered with LOI, but now I;ve started going to games, the standard is at least League 1, Championship occasionally..
If people started supporting the league then they’d be able to challenge for bigger prizes!! #Superblues!
Ya Tyrone, that’s a well made point.
If you have a good game in that league they get suspicious of match fixing…
You can also look out for these things:
Horrible first touches, horrendous defending & constant throw ins
Tyrone, you might actually want to read the news instead of just looking at the pictures.
The match fixing was about a game that hasn’t even been played yet. How did you know if was a good game then.
So if you don’t like something after trying it once that means it must be complete rubbish?
never said it was a good game. and yeah it is complete rubbish iv got to hand it to you you might not of liking taking it up the arse the first few times but you stuck with it and now look your a real pro at it now
Is there no moderation on this site? My eyes are hurting looking at all the garbage trolling on this article….what’s the story lads? Why all the anger? Did your daddy not hug you as a child?
Don’t mind Tyrone enjoy the premier league I’m sure they enjoy having you over to there matches to throw a highly critical eye on proceedings, no point in supporting any team that isn’t winning really is there, no point in supporting local teams having a go. Better the banter on the bar stool, it’s warmer than crap cold grounds with local people and god no commentators
This one time i watched bohs v pats and my eyes were actually stinging after ten mins. After 15 i was crying curled up in a ball . It was like mental torture of the worst kind. Had to seek counselling for months to try and forget
heres another thing to look out for an actual good game in the loi doubt we will ever see it in our life time
true franner they seem to trow the ball more than they actually kick it
Couldn’t kick shite off a rope
i herd thats what they try to do in training
Look at d picture on d story
The keeper fumbling the ball horrible mistake
Sums this terrible product up really
Keeper actually saved that shot [Which by the way was a penalty] and was unlucky in that the ball spun back across the line.Get your facts right before making your silly comments..
If you had have watched the televised matches Fran, you would have seen said goalkeeper Niall Burdon play a stormer against Rovers last week. He claimed the prize of LoI player of the week as he kept Rovers at bay and helped Shels collect their 1st point of the season. The guy is 19. Is a young goalkeeper not allowed make a mistake from time to time in the football you watch! In fact the league is full of young and exciting players, hence the amount of former league players represented in England and the national side.
How do Ye know what its like if you haven’t tried it? Seeing a bit of the odd game doesn’t really let you form an opinion. You could happen upon poor games in most leagues.
What is the match-fixing comment in the first comment even about.
No basis for you arguement so resort to childish comments.
sorry mate you should brush up on your news theres a match fixing scandal going on. I tried heroin once and didnt like it so what your saying is i should try it again a few times i might start liking it
My basis is its a poor league that never has teams challenging in Europe . Not even the uafa cup. shiiiiiiiiiiiiite
i watched the Scottish league and thought i couldnt see anything much worse then it then i watched the loi just thinking of it now still makes me physically sick
What on earth are ye on about? The league is the standard of the Championship in the UK, albeit with Conference level grounds. Shamrock Rovers were in the Europa League group stages two years ago. Match fixing is a fact in ALL leagues. The point is, if you go and spend your €15 or so into a match, you get a few hours entertainment, a decent atmosphere and get to meet characters from all walks of life. It hurts that I’m out of Dublin now and can’t see a match, because it’s an hour walk to see SD Galway play.
Go try a match. If you don’t like it, fine. But at least try one.
i wish i had more hands so i could give loi four thumbs down
Mind poison football . Should be examined if you think this football is a good way to spend your Friday night. A better night would consist of sitting in dark rocking
what do you say to a league of ireland supporter any thing you like there that dumb they would believe anything you say
Says the man who refuses to use punctuation when asking a question.. If you want to see Champions League/Europe football in Ireland, why not go support a local team and give them money to help them grow?
Sitting and giving out without actually going to a game helps no-one does it?.
vice versa oisin dont be going mad now whipe that tear from off your face
wipe
Explain dark rocking boys…..
rocking backward and forward in the dark
Yes thats it alright.