2007 Favourites

[don ramo]

whos favourites to win the league this year, with shells in dire straits, bohs got money, derry got fenlon, cork rebuilt, and a **** load of players headin abroad

[holidaysong]

As much as it pains me I can see Drogheda winning it.
The Louth Double - Drogheda for the premier and Dundalk for the First Division.

[don ramo]

As much as it pains me I can see Drogheda winning it.
The Louth Double - Drogheda for the premier and Dundalk for the First Division.

could happen, but cobh i think will win the first hopefully anyway, cork city wont so theres no cork double, but it would be nice to see.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I'd say Drogs and Dundalk will be the two champions.

[Aaron]

And i'll say Derry and Harps will win the two respective leagues, with Bohs winning the cup and Drogheda winning the league cup:D :D

[micls]

I think Derry will win the league...Drogheda have the better squad but don't think Doolin has a league title in him.

Hopefully a good competitive year anyway

[monkey magic]

anyone else think athlone are gonna give the first a real lash this year - some good signings (the sligo lads etc) and a renewed sense of purpose with the new ground an all.. would welcome a midlands derby in 2008 meself( be that in the first or the premier:o ) has to be derrys year for the title, dont think anyone would begrudge them it either.

[holidaysong]

If it means Drogheda not getting it then I wouldn't begrudge Derry anything! And yeah Athlone have made a few nice signings and the new ground should attract a few new fans for the first few games anyway.

[dcfcsteve]

I think Drogheda will do it this year. I think we've slipped behind a bit - we're in need of a quality, experienced first string keeper and someone who's a natural poacher who can sniff goals out of nowhere.

Bohs will finish in a Euro slot (prob 4th), and Pats will surprise a few people and push Bohs all the way.

[Paddyfield]

Derry or Drogs for the Premier

Dundalk or Athlone for the First Div.

Longford for relegation.

Shels for Leinster Senior League.

[wws]

I'd rate last seasons top 4 as more or less equal at the end of last season (minus Shels now obviously)

That leaves Drogs as the sole full time outfit who haven't weakened and have strengthened since than. Made consistent progress as a FT set up in recent years and brought in players - they're more than likely stretched financially so its now or never for them in my opinion.

Cork are a shadow of their team last season and will be playing off the fumes of previous seasons - with the dregs left and the quality all but gone. I think they might struggle. Some seriously quality players have left. You can't replace that level of talent from within in one season.

Derry - question marks over the goal keeper position - the most obvious 'best of the rest' team but stand still and the improving outfits like Drogs bypass you. Pipped at the post two years in a row I sense that they've run out of steam a bit - maybe Fenlon will rejuvenate them - can't see it myself as he wont have the luxury of spending millions on the down payment for Tolka on players that he enjoyed at Shels. They'll defo challenge but my hunch is its not their year.....again.

Bohs - the joker in the pack - a hybrid of last season's failure of a Bohs squad and last season's relative failure of a Sligo side does not a league winner make. He talks big Connor - the Bohs fans wont suffer the shoite talk if results don't match the PR spinning he's engaged in preseason at Dalymount. They could go either way - again my gut feeling is this mish mash wont deliver and bohs fans will turn on Connor sharpish.

Shamrock Rovers - Scully has talked up his chances saying they're out to win it. Bit of bravado no doubt but bravado and their enthusiasm can only go so far for covering the gaps in quality in the squad. Their fans have elevated Scully to hero status on the back of their First Division showing, be interesting to see their reaction to the inevitable 'tricky patch' in the premier where their new opponents dont have the obligatory 4 or five 'fat blokes' that the likes of Dundalk et al field.


St Pats. Some say we're value but I dont rate our chances at all. The manager doesnt know his own best defensive line up. We've lost the core of our goal threat last season, Keego and Molloy and replaced them with.....Gary O Neill - he hasnt even netted in 3 moderate friendlies and without a quality foil he might struggle to match his shels tally. I dont like the Ndo signing - flatters to deceive and will not deliver over a season - smells of looking for a final pay cheque. Kirby looks good in preseason but good as he is he's no league winner. If we can use the element of surprise to rip up the Setanta Cup (no northern opposition will know much about us) we could have some nice momentum going into the league which may improve our chances - but overall we're nothing more than average.

[Tis-smeee]

Premier - Cork

First Division - Waterford

[Dodge]

Gary O Neill - he hasnt even netted in 3 moderate friendlies and without a quality foil he might struggle to match his shels tally

He scored against Kildare. And he only played a half in each of the 3 games.

[wws]

fair enough he scored against kildare - i still cant see us scoring anwhere near enough to challenge or be considered 2007 favourites

[bohs til i die]

I think it all comes down to Derry's signings. I feel Drogheda have too many strikers and it could be a problem. Derry's other big advantage is a title winning manager.

I think Bohs should be able to get 3rd as Pats havent replaced their strike force and Cork havent replaced any of the players they lost, O'Flynn is always injured, O'Donovan will go to the UK at some stage and Horgan is in the States apparently.

[Dodge]

I agree. Its between Derry and Drogs. I can't see anybody else that far ahead of us mind you. Cork's defence is gone, lacking real alternatives upfront with O'Flynn finished IMO. Bohs new squad conssits mainly of a no more than decent SLigo team from last year and one or two untested players (The signing of Crowe and Heary being the exception obviously)

[gustavo]

relative failure of a Sligo side does not a league winner make.


.


How so?
This time last year most people were tipping us for 7th-8 place or worse

[The Stars]

Athlone for the first Division,its a banker.

[steno]

Premier: Derry but Drogs to challenage strongly
First: Dundalk but Waterford and probably Athlone to push them.

[holidaysong]

2nd AND 3rd in the first go into playoff at the end of this season yeah?

[atfconline]

2nd AND 3rd in the first go into playoff at the end of this season yeah?

Yes but the second from bottom in the Premier doesn't have to play the third from bottom, so as well as finishing a day earlier than the First Div, they get another few days rest before the play-off, without any chances of picking up injuries, suspensions etc.

[holidaysong]

Going to be an interesting First Division. It will probably take until we have all played each other once to see how things are shaping up. Paddy Power have us favourites at 13/8... I wouldn't be THAT confident.

[sligoman]

Derry and Athlone

[Conor H]

Ditto with Sligoman.

[harry crumb]

Drogheda & Dundalk.

[wws]

How so?
This time last year most people were tipping us for 7th-8 place or worse


in the context of winning the league - we're trying to pick possible winners/near contenders here - a mix of Bohs 2006/ Sligo 2006 and the Sligo boss falls someway short of putting bohs in that elite bracket for this season in my opinion. Granted I forgot about Heary and Crowe (its hard to keep track of shelbourne rats)- Heary is a class act (theres nobody who watches LoI football who doesnt rate him as one of the best) - Crowe - definitely one of the best strikers here in recent seasons and has the potential to rediscover the number one striker spot in a Byrne-less league and at a club where hes the starting striker but looks like he's packing a few extra kilos these days.

[De Town]

I reckon Derry and Athlone myself.

[LeixlipRed]

Crowe was exceptional last season. Far better than Byrne. The only worry for Bohs fans is where is the supply going to come from? If Fenn and Crowe click then Crowe will score bags full of goals. And the weight thing is a bit old now

[lofty9]

If we sign a decent keeper it'll hopefully be third time lucky. We need a keeper badly. Then again, IMO we needed one last year too. However, don't be writing us off as one of the rest. A fit Mark Farren is key to our success, he was fit for the last 2months of last season and he was absolutely flying by the cup final. We've brought in cover for our full back spots with Rogers and the likely signing of O Halloran. This cover was a major weakness in our squad last year, highlighted in our drubbing at the end of the season in Drogheda. Our young players like Brennan, Deery and Higgins are a year wiser and McHugh may find his shooting boots under Fenlon. Hopefully they are all still as hungry for success and after chatting to a few of the players they are enjoying Fenlon's methods. I can't wait - bring it on!!

[kdjaC]

Pats dont have enough players and as soon as Ndo and Oneil get injured we be buggered, but hopefully we play some nice stuff.

Drogs for league, Doolin my only doubt. Derry 2nd Cork 3rd .Connor gone by mid season break at Bohs. Gonna go with UCD for 4th and us and Bohs 5th 6th. Rovers 7th just dont have enough good quality players.




kdjac

[Sam_Heggy]

Derry or Drogs for prem id say down to last few games.

Harps or waterford for 1st i reckon we have brought in some quality players and have strength in depth foor the 1st time in ages.

would be great to have a north west double n the old rivalry back next season and sligo to stay up.:D

[finnpark]

Last season i picked shels and galway at 7/4 and 10/1 respectivly.

This season its Drogs at 5/1 and Harps at ? provided Waterford take Shels place

Bray and UCD to go down provided Shels are not there.

John McDonnell will be the 1st manager to be sacked.

[Sam_Heggy]

odds on Rico for the boot any1? just a thought.
i also predict Shels will somehow be allowed to stay in prem. but will finish bottom of prem as not many players left out there now with prem quality.

[oriel]

Drogs/Dundalk.

Drogs have strenght in every area, their midfield especially looks the business, Derry will be their main threat, runner up two seasons in a row, very good team spirit, but i think drogs will finish top, just.

First Div, we have the best team, no question, but we need to get off to a good start, and tighten up the defence, Crawley is an excellent addition and with Hughes's goals (hopefully) we should pull clear of Waterford and Athlone.

[pineapple stu]

UCD to go down provided Shels are not there.
Ah, it begins again! We finish top half, lose no-one we don't replace and we're being touted to go down...

Bray, Longford, Galway and Shels/Waterford will be below us again anyway; quite possibly Sligo and probably one of Bohs, Rovers, Pat's and Cork.


If we sign a decent keeper it'll hopefully be third time lucky.
Do yez not think yez have a decent keeper already? I wouldn't be too worried about giving PJ a chance if I were a Derry fan.

Derry and Dundalk for me.

[Block G Raptor]

Bohs - the joker in the pack - a hybrid of last season's failure of a Bohs squad and last season's relative failure of a Sligo side does not a league winner make. He talks big Connor - the Bohs fans wont suffer the shoite talk if results don't match the PR spinning he's engaged in preseason at Dalymount. They could go either way - again my gut feeling is this mish mash wont deliver and bohs fans will turn on Connor sharpish.
.

Plus the league winning Captain(heary). the most consistant striker still playing in the league (Crowe). one of the most natrually gifted player in the League(Fenn) and a couple of loan signings from Coventry and Birmingham
Write us off at your peril
Setanta place at Least

[OneRedArmy]

Do yez not think yez have a decent keeper already? I wouldn't be too worried about giving PJ a chance if I were a Derry fan.Its funny PS that you had a pop at Forde at every opportunity, yet seem to rate your ex-player Jennings who is actually more error-prone than Forde.

PJ had his chance about 3 seasons ago and failed to take it.

[pineapple stu]

I only have a pop at Forde when he warrants it. Not my fault if that's quite often.

PJ'll do a job if he's given a run - the League Cup Final for example. I don't think he's had a run for Derry at all really? He only joined you three seasons ago as well, so a bit harsh to shut the door on him pretty much immediately.