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As we are now only 3 weeks away from Kick Off, Im going to start by given my predictions for 2024.
Premier Division
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Derry City
3. St Pats
4. Shels
5. Bohs
6. Dundalk
7. Waterford
8. Drogheda
9. Galway Utd
10. Sligo
First Division
1. Cork City
2. Wexford
3. UCD
4. Bray
5. Athlone
6. Cobh
7. Longford
8. Treaty
9. Finn Harps
10. Kerry
Premier Division
1. Pats
2. Rovers
3. Shels
4. Derry
5. Bohs
6. Sligo
7. Galway
8. Dundalk
9. Drogheda
10. Waterford
First Division
1. Cork
2. UCD
3. Athlone
4. Harps
5. Athlone
6. Bray
7. Treaty
8. Longford
9. Kerry
10. Cobh
Premier Division
1. Shams
2. Pat's
3. Derry
4. Shels
5. Bohs
6. Galway
7. Drogheda
8. Waterford
9. Dundalk
10. Sligo
Premier Division
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Derry City
3. St Pats
4. Shels
5. Waterford
6. Dundalk
7. Bohs
8. Drogheda
9. Sligo
10. Galway
First Division
1. Cork City
2. Wexford
3. Longford
4. Athlone
5. Harps
6. Bray
7. UCD
8. Cobh
9. Treaty
10. Kerry
FAI Cup : Shels
Top Scorer:Hoban
First manager sacked: Declan Devine
Premier Division
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Pats
3. Derry
4. Dundalk
5. Shels
6. Drogs
7. Galway
8. Bohs
9. Waterford
10. Sligo
First Division
1. UCD
2. Cork
3. Wexford
4. Athlone
5. Harps
6. Longford
7. Bray
8. Cobh
9. Treaty
10. Kerry
Premier division I can't see past shamrock Rovers again. Sligo I think will really struggle, Bohs will sack Devine early which will save them. In a complete limb I think Dundalks new striker will do well and fire them to 4th, a long way behind the top 3 but just ahead of shels who will have a European hangover. Galway will comfortably be safe without pulling up any trees but Waterford might struggle.
God knows with division 1! UCD could be either very good or awful!! I guess based on nothing it will be the former! Wexford will come third I think, they seem to have a good settled squad together. 4th-9th will be very close and could go any way. Harps should be a lot stronger and be there thereabouts to get to the playoffs.
I did pretty well with my predictions last year but I am much less confident this season!!
Premier Division
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. St Pats
3. Derry City
4. Shels
5. Drogheda
6. Dundalk
7. Bohs
8. Galway United
9. Waterford
10. Sligo Rovers
First Division
1. Cork City
2. UCD
3. Bray
4. Wexford
5. Longford
6. Athlone
7. Harps
8. Cobh
9. Treaty
10. Kerry
FAI Cup : Derry
Top Scorer: Hoban
First manager sacked: John Russell
Premier Division
1. Derry
2. Rovers
3. St Pats
4. Shels
5. Bohs
6. Dundalk
7. Drogheda United
8. Galway United
9. Sligo
10. Waterford
First Division
1. Cork City
2. Longford
3. Bray
4. Wexford
5. Athlone
6. Harps
7. Cobh
8. Treaty
9. UCD
10. Kerry
FAI Cup : Rovers
Top Scorer: Hoban
First manager sacked: Decky Devine
Premier Division
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. St Pats
3. Derry
4. Shels
5. Bohs
6. Dundalk
7. Drogheda
8. Sligo
9. Waterford
10. Galway
First Division
1. Wexford
2. UCD
3. Cork
4. Longford
5. Bray
6. Harps
7. Athlone
8. Cobh
9. Treaty
10. Kerry
FAI Cup : Derry
Top Scorer:Kenny
First manager sacked: O'Donnell
Rovers
Derry
Pats
Dundalk
Galway
Shels
Drogs
Bohs
Sligo
Waterford
Cork
Wexford
Bray
Ucd
Harps
Longford
Ucd
Cobh
Treaty
Kerry
Fai cup rovers
Top scorer gaffney
First manager sacked devine
sbgawa, just interested why you think Dundalk can finish 4th? You are usually quite conservative on posts on here.
I'll need to think about my predictions before posting, and is hard to see past the top 3, that's probably nailed on, but its 4th-8th that is hard one to call. Sligo seem to be the one most are picking out to finish bottom, and Waterford not far off too. Not sure Galway have taken in much quality, Drogs will be dogged as usual, Bohs unknown, Shels for me always seem to be unknown, euro scene might take their eye of the ball or they could push on, who knows, they'll miss their main striker who left for UK that's for sure.
Before Dundalk bought that striker from Raith Rovers last night I wouldn't have thought any higher than 6th, also still 2 or 3 more players to come in, but its going to be half a new team, could take a long time to gel. I suppose having likes of Boyle, Benson, Davies, Horgan as seniors will add some steel, the new GK from Ross County looks decent too.
Top 3 then, that's a really hard call, not sure Pats have enough to win a league, which might leave it between Rovers and hopefully a better challenge this time from Derry with Hoban if he can settle in quickly.
Premier Division
1. Shams
2. Derry
3. St. Pats
4. Dundalk
5. Shels
6. Bohs
7. Drogs
8. Sligo
9. Galway
10.Waterford
First Division
1. Cork
2. U.C.D.
3. Wexford
4. Bray
5. Harps
6. Athlone
7. Longford
8. Treaty
9. Cobh
10. Kerry
A difficult season to call at this stage and will see a large divergence in responses here outside of the top three in the Premier, and top and bottom in the first. I'd be very interested in hearing people's reasons for their selections.
Powers are quoting 9/1 about Galway finishing bottom, though they did restrict me to €28.50.Quote:
Originally Posted by placid casual
They look nailed on for either bottom or 2nd bottom,along with waterford,so the PP price is surprising. There is an absolute gulf between the 2 divisions and the step up for both of them required major investments in Premier quality players,which I don't think has happened( open to correction)
I like hoban one of ny fav memories of him was pulling up his jersey and rubbing his belly after scoring in front of the south stand having listened to the rovers supporters calling him a fat bustard all game.....give it and take it :)Quote:
Originally Posted by oriel
But 23 league goals in the last 2 seasons of which 5 were penalties isn't a great return and one that your new striker should be aiming for. Considering the wages he qoukd have been on and the possibility of SOD recruiting possibly 3 players to replace him I feel like dundalk will be better than people are expecting.
I'm probably a bit high on Galway but I think they are better then people think and I'm expecting more signings.
I was switching athlone and ucd and forgot to put athlone back in , in 7th place.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
Interesting analysis, Hoban might get better service in Derry, but he'll have D Kelly again whom he had last season, so a lot will need to change. He was abs brutal in 3 of the 4 games in Europe too last season, esp away in Gibraltar (I was at it to see) and Iceland (watched horror show on tv). Hopefully his replacement works out, looks decent, this is the guy, anyway time will tell.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
Interesting analysis, Hoban might get better service in Derry, but he'll have D Kelly again whom he had last season, so a lot will need to change. He was abs brutal in 3 of the 4 games in Europe too last season, esp away in Gibraltar (I was at it to see) and Iceland (watched horror show on tv). That said he still has the talent to score, but for me his game strength has changed from scorer to prob best in league for hold up play, take 2 players out and lay it off, anyway that's for Derry now to work on.
For us hopefully his replacement works out, looks decent, this is the guy, anyway time will tell.
https://twitter.com/RaithRovers/stat...364011458?s=20
So difficult to predict right now when certain sides have key signings yet to be made. I've not been particularly impressed by Shels' signings but I think they're arguably coached better than any other side in the league and they've at least brought in known quantities. Bohs and Dundalk have the bones of good sides but with more yet to do have so far relied on players only really proven in Estonia and Scottish League One respectively to add to it, which you'd have to be at least wary of.
Similarly it feels like Sligo have much left to do in order to say they won't be in the mix at the wrong side of the table. Think business done over the next couple of weeks will give a clearer picture of things.
Tough one this season.
1. Rovers - We have enough to win the league again. Would like two less centre mids and 2 more wingbacks but the strongest 11 we have should win the league and do OK in Europe. If we are missing 3-4 of the key players we will struggle in the latter again.
2. Derry - Hoban will give them the goals to just about stay ahead of Pats
3. Pats - Might rely on Forrester a bit too much but if Keating has another strong season they'll be up there and might pip Derry. Murphy and Curtis are big losses.
4. Shels - will need to add a few more loan signings up front to win the games they tend to draw but Duff and Joey are doing a good job.
5. Dundalk - Really hard to call this one but I'm with sbgawa, they'll add a few to replace Hoban and do enough to be out of danger. Might be a long way off Europe though.
6. Drogs - Rooney is a big loss but I think they've signed fairly well and held on to a good group. They were better than their league finish last season suggested but Pierrot will need to have a good year.
7. Galway - Will be hard to beat at home and they are physically well able for the jump in level. It won't be pretty though.
8. Bohs - Sounds like it will be a turbulent season. Can't see Devine lasting unless he has another very good start but he hasn't helped himself with a poor off-season. A good start might actually be the last thing bohs want as I don't think he is the man to make them properly competitive. Afolabi is a huge loss.
9. Sligo - McGinty will be busy
10. Waterford - no idea to be honest.
I think they bottom 4 will change a lot. Bohs are 4 signings away from moving up the table and that might happen. I might be giving Galway too much credit but I just think they might do better than expected....in a really ugly way.
First manager sacked - Devine
Top scorer - Burke
FAI cup - Pats
First Division.
Cork to win it.
Premier Division:
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Derry City
3. St Pats
4. Shelbourne
5. Bohemians
6. Dundalk
7. Galway
8. Drogheda
9. Sligo
10. Waterford
First Division:
1. UCD
2. Cork
3. Wexford
4. Bray
5. Cobh
6. Finn Harps
7. Athlone
8. Treaty
9. Longford
10. Kerry
As for realistic Kerry targets for the season, we have to aim for 20-30 points to demonstrate any real improvement from last year, and particularly some home wins.