Time for everyone to show how little they know...

Now we know the makeup of the league for 2009, it's the season of predictions. Just looking through a couple of the threads form last season.
Well done to those of you who tipped Cork to top the league, myself included :o but it's surprising that not as many of us as you'd think had Bohs down as Champions. It would be terribly unfair to quote individuals from over a year ago with the benefit of hindsight...but it's not going to stop me. :D

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=8524...ht=predictions

http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=8026...ht=predictions

Top marks to finnpark for being closest to how things would pan out:

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Premier Division
Bohemians (NAP) - Only conceded goals in around 10 games last season. Have added to squad with Killian Brennan who will create a lot and Jason Byrne who should replace Crowe. I think that they are sure for a top 2 finish despite having a rubbish manager.

First Division
Dundalk - Knocking on the door for a while now. Waterford are plain useless and Shels or Athlone could take 2nd place.

Cups
A total guess but Droghrda are due a good run so I will go for them.

Relegation
Cobh bottom, UCD/Galway/Harps/Bray to battle it out for other 2 posutions. Probably Harps and UCD should be favs to join Cobh. Sligo could also be drawn down there if they lose many more players.

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Sammy Heggy shows what is now poignant enthusiasm for the season ahead:

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Things are exciting up here, Higsy as mentioned has signed Beckett and has a list of quality players he has approached about signing. He has got rid of some of last seasons squad and in all honesty, Higsy is not a man to show loyalty if he thinks they are not up to scratch.

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Celtdrog responds to a fellow Drogheda fans bemusement at a suggestion they might finish 4th ("how in gods name do you think we will finish fourth as things stand at the minute?"):

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Probably points deductions for financial irregularities. Everyone says it every year so it has to happen sometime

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Saint Morrissey, being divine, could obviusly be relied upon to be spot on:

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people keep saying it because you have a lot of good players so its assumed that they are on good wages and past examples have shown that eircom league teams struggle to support high wage bills in the long term. there are striking similarities between your situation and that of shelbourne a few years ago in my opinion, and the similarities can be seen in the arrogance and what some people might call ignorance of your supporters too. it doesnt take a genius to see that in the long run its not feasable for more money to leave an organisation than enters it.

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... someone should have pointed this out to ndrog:

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explain thisignorance to me please ? In what way are we ignorant of the situation in Drogheda ? We are extremely aware of whats going on at our club thanks , and its been flogged to death the similarities or lack of between our current situation and that of Shels .Read some old threads for an argument if thats what you want Do you know anything of our current situation or is this just the usual nonsense rolled out to have a go at us .

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So, thoughts for this season- winners and losers, jokers and kings? I'll be the first to stick my neck out. Feel free to quote this post gleefully in March 2010. Just can't see past Bohemians for the title again, although it is extremely hard to win this league twice in a row- can Fenlon motivate his team to the same level they were at last season when they had more to prove?


1. Bohs
2. Derry
3. Rovers
4. Sligo
5. Pats
6. Cork
7. Bray
8. Dundalk
9. Drogheda
10. Galway

FD:
1. Shels
2. SF

FAI: Rovers
LC- Derry

First managerial casualty? I'm going to go with Sean Connor. Will feel he has something to prove after his dismissal from Bohemians and his season on the MNS couch will have had other managers almost daring him to put his money where his mouth is. He has an outside chance of emulating his exploits at Sligo buth is biggest problem may be to match expectations after a string of high-profile signings and an expectant crowd at Oriel Park. Needs his signings to gel and his team to pick up crucial points at home, especially after the ruthless steeliness the Dundalk board showed in sacking John Gill.

1. Bohemians
2. Derry City
3. Shamrock Rvs
4. Cork City
5. St. Pat's Ath
6. Sligo Rvs
7. Dundalk
8. Drogheda Utd
9. Bray Wanderers
10. Galway Utd

FAI: Ourselves to avenge last seasons heartache
LC: Dundalk

First Division: Sporting Fingal

Premier

Bohs
Rovers
Pats
Derry
Sligo
Cork
Drogs
Dundalk
Bray
Galway

First Division

Sporting Fingal
Shels
UCD
Harps
Limerick
Monaghan
Waterford
Longford
Wexford
Athlone
Mervue
Kildare

FAI Cup: Rovers
League Cup: Derry

Premier Division
1- Derry
2- Bohs
3- Rovers
4- Cork
5- Sligo
6- Pats
7- Dundalk
8- Bray
9- Drogheda
10- Galway

First Division
1- Shels (We all can't be going for Sporting!!!!)
2- Sporting
3- Monaghan
4- Waterford
5- UCD
6- Longford
7- Limerick
8- Harps
9- Youths
10- Athlone
11- Kildare
12- Mervue

FAI Cup - Cork
League Cup - Shamrock Rovers

1. Bohemians
2. Derry City
3. Shamrock Rvs
4. Cork City
5. St. Pat's Ath
6. Dundalk
7. Sligo Rovers
8. Drogheda Utd
9. Bray Wanderers
10. Galway Utd

FAI: Shamrock Rovers
LC: Drogheda United, Mathews cup record continues.

First Division:
1. Sporting Fingal
2. Shels
3. Waterford
4. Limerick
5 Monaghan
6 UCD
7 Harps
8 Longford
9 Mervue
10 Wexford
11 Athlone
12 Kildare

positions 5-9 and 10-12 could end up in any combination to be honest.

PREMIER

1) Bohs
2) Pats
3) Derry
4) Cork
5) Rovers
6) Sligo
7) Dundalk
8) Drogheda
9) Galway
10) Bray

Fingal in the First Division

FAI Cup - Pats!
League Cup - Derry
Setanta Cup - Bohs

Premier:
1:Bohemians
2 Derry City
3:Sligo Rovers
4:Shamrock Rovers
5:Cork City
6:St.Pats
7 Dundalk
8 Drogheda United
9:Galway United
10:Bray Wanderers

First Division:
1:Shelbourne
2:Sporting Fingal
3:Monaghan United
4:Longford Town
5:Waterford
6:UCD
7:Limerick
8:Finn Harps
9:Athlone Town
10:Wexford Youths
11:Mervue United
12:Kildare

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Originally Posted by jebus

First Division

Sporting Fingal
Shels
UCD
Harps
Limerick
Monaghan
Waterford
Longford
Wexford
Athlone
Mervue
Kildare

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I agree with Jebus:eek::eek::eek:

Premier:
1:Cork City
2 Bohemians
3:derry City
4:dundalk
5:shamrock rovers
6:St.Pats
7 sligo rovers
8 Drogheda United
9:Galway United
10:Bray Wanderers

First Division:
1:Sporting Fingal
2:Shelbourne
3:Monaghan United
4:Waterford
5:Athlone
6:UCD
7:Limerick
8:Finn Harps
9:Longford
10:Wexford Youths
11:Mervue United
12:Kildare

LEAGUE=CORK CITY
FAI=DUNDALK
LC=BOHEMIANS
SETANTA CUP=BOHEMIANS

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Originally Posted by dannydundalk

4:dundalk

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Are you having a laugh?

Premier

1: Bohs
2: Derry
3: St. Pat's
4: Cork
5: Sligo
6: Shamrock Rovers
7: Dundalk
8: Drogheda
9: Bray
10: Galway

First

1: Sporting Fingal
2: Shelbourne
3: Limerick
4: Waterford
5: UCD
6: Finn Harps
7: Monaghan Utd
8: Longford
9: Wexford
10: Mervue
11: Kildare
12: Athlone

Premier

1: Derry
2: Rovers
3: Bohs
4: Cork
5: Dundalk
6: Pat's
7: Bray
8: Sligo
9: Drogheda
10: Galway

First

1: Sporting Fingal
2: UCD
3: Monaghan
4: Shels
5: Limerick
6: Youths
7: Waterford
8: Harps
9: Longford
10: Athlone
11: Kildare
12: Mervue

1: St Patricks Athletic
2: Derry City
3: Bohemians
4: Sligo Rovers
5: Shamrock Rovers
6: Cork City
7: Dundalk
8: Drogheda Utd.
9: Galway Utd.
10: Bray W.

First Division

1: Shelbourne
2: Monaghan Utd
3: Sporting Fingal
4: Waterford Utd
5: Limerick
6: Finn Harps
7: Athlone Town
8: UCD
9: Wexford Youths
10: Mervue Utd.
11: Kildare County
12: Longford Town

Galway Utd to win the FAI cup
Shamrock Rovers to win the League Cup

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Originally Posted by ARooney28

Are you having a laugh?

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we'll have to wait and see.we are full time
only 4 teams full time and with the players we have brought in ....it's a huge possibility

1. Bohs
2. Derry
3. Rovers
4. Pat's
5. Cork
6. Dundalk
7. Shams
8. Drogheda
9. Galway
10. Bray

FD:
1. Sporting Fingal
2. Shelbourne

FAI: Pat's
LC: Dundalk

First manager sacked in PD: Ian Foster.
First manager sacked in FD: Paul Hegarty(assuming Harps board cop on)

NOTE TO ALL: SHAMS DO NOT BECOME A GOOD TEAM JUST BECAUSE THEY PLAY IN TALLAGHT.

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Originally Posted by sligoman

NOTE TO ALL: SHAMS DO NOT BECOME A GOOD TEAM JUST BECAUSE THEY PLAY IN TALLAGHT.

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It's more to do with signing some decent midfielders and an interesting new manager. The trialistss there are supposed to be fairly handy too.

Mind you I still think Bray look a good price in the season opener.

Premier Division
1. Derry
2. Bohs
3. Pats
4. Shams
5. Cork
6. Sligo
7. Dundalk
8. Bray
9. Drogs
10. Galway

First Division
1. Fingal
2. Shels
3. Waterford
4. UCD
5. Limerick
6. Mons
7. Harps
8. Longford
9. Wexford
10. Mervue
11. Athlone
12. Kildare

FAI Cup: Shams
League Cup: Derry
Setanta Cup: Bohs

Premier Division

1.Bohs
2.Derry
3.St. Pats
4.Shamrock Rovers
5.Sligo Rovers
6.Cork
7.Dundalk
8.Galway
9.Bray
10.Drogheda

First Divsion

1.Sporting Fingal
2.Shels
3.Limerick
4.Monaghan
5.UCD
6.Longford Town
7.Waterford Utd
8.Finn Harps
9.Wexford Youths
10.Athlone Town
11.Mervue Utd
12.Kildare County

Finishing positions in the first divsion from 3rd to 8th are too hard to call, any of those teams could finish high up or very low down, there won't be many points between them. Fingal looking like there are going to walk it but hopefully the other teams will make it as hard as possible for them. They might not win it as easily as the signings they are making would suggest.

League Cup: Sporting Fingal (Think they could have a good go at this as not many premier teams rate it too highly as far as importance is concerned)
FAI Cup: Derry City (Will just miss out on the league but take the FAI Cup)
Setanta Cup: Bohs (Over the course of it they should prevail as winners)

After my blind enthusiasm last season I will be more realistic this time ;)

Premier:

1. Derry - I know ill have to watch my back from now on in fear of assassination but meh.
2. Bohs
3. Pats
4. Rovers
5. Sligo
6. Dundalk
7. Cork (if they get through this week with a prem licence)
8. Bray
9. Drogs
10. Galway

I think Derry will be hard to stop this season, if Farren and Morrow start of the season well and Kearney continues his pre-season form then I think their fire-power will be they key.
Bohs back line and Keeper will stand them in good steed but will Crowe and Byrne hit enough goals this season?


First:

1. Sporting Fingal
2. Shels
3. UCD
4. Waterford
5. Monaghan
6. Harps
7. Longford
8. Limerick
9. Athlone
10. Wexford
11. Mervue
12. Kildare


I really can't see anyone other than Shels challenging Fingal for the first division. They have bought a premier division squad that should dispatch of teams at ease in the first but the only question is, whether or not the prem players are going to be 100% committed in the First division?

UCD are once again an unknown but are usually strong in the first, they seem to turn out some cracking new players each season and I expect them to do the same this.

As for Harps, with an average age of 18, and average height of 4'1" and the tactical know how of Paul Hegarty on our side the sky is the limit.

Oh how opinions change, this time last season the man could do no wrong, then, all of a sudden, yes, you guessed it, he signed Labonte, Beckett and Davy Byrne. Sicknote United was born.
To add salt to the wounds we signed 2 of the biggest piles of dog doo-do journeymen the league had to offer in Stuart Malcom and Davy Tyrell.
God that was a horrible season in which I don't care to see again. Oh wait, we have now signed Ian Rossiter and Vinny Sweeney, yippidee fooking doooo, here we go again.
BTW, I don't have the same optimistic views anymore, I didn't know if that came through in the above rant, I mean paragraph.

As for the rest of the teams, I didn't keep much of an eye on the first div last season but something tells me I'll be getting very familiar with it for a while to come. :(

Derry

Fingal

league cup Fingal :)
fai cup Fingal :)