2026 Predictions and early musings

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Well before we see a better idea of the 2026 squads i certsinly wont be pinning my colours to the mast but early thoughts

Rovers: No Jack Byrne and now no Danny Mandroiu either for next season, Gaffney another year older as is Burke. Pico, Grace etc,,,,unless we pull off a couple of big signings i can see next year being a difficult one.

Shelbourne: More Money from Europe and a manager that seems to be on point........biggest chalenger for Rovers next year

Derry: Seem to be splashing the cash again but they are a Micheal Duffy injury away from disaster

Pats: well thye normally win the pre season but im not seeing much yet

Galway and Dundalk.......Relegation battle??? im not sure tbh...Galway have the cash for a rebuild and Dundalk with new owners that are bound to want to make a positive firsat impression, then again someone has to go down.

Drogs: Losing DJT and now MArkey are two big blows, cn Doherty reinvent the wheel again?+ they didnt finish the season well i dont think Doherty can keep pulling overperformance out of them so. relegation favs

Waterford: Dont have much of a feeling here one way or the other, possible relegation battle.

Sligo: Another year of lower mid table but will be better than this year.

Thats everybody

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Laughed out loud at this one, good dig.

good man sgbawa “stick to football” as your ilk like to parrot , it suits you better. Agree with boyne munich , I dont see how you have drogs as relegation favs even at this early . Budget is increasing next season too

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Treaty will have one of the smaller budgets, but there are no investment issues. Would love to know where that came from.

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Same place as the Treaty will have one of the smaller budgets! :confused:

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Originally Posted by boynemunich

Interesting to see you have Drogheda as relegation favourites. Our big strength was in defence and we've resigned everyone there. I'd just be worried that we don't evolve and teams adapt easily to us. Was seen in latter parts of last season

I would have kept Markey all day long but I think Kavanagh has good potential as a replacement. Markey's mileage and workrate was phenomenal but his goal contribution stats were quite poor. I've heard rumors of Gary O Neill and / or Mark Coyle which is exactly the type of player we need now to strenghten midfield. I'm not sure what Ryan Brennan has left in his legs so can't rely on him too much.

As usual we will probably bring in a couple of loan signings one likely being for starting striker as not a whole lot available within the league. I've heard rumors of Conor Carty who I don't know much about. I would like to get Aaron Greene in for a season if he was available, he was rumored last season, eye for a goal and experience in the dressing room.

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Mark Doyle leaving his club in the US. Would be a good signing for Drogheda I think. I was one of those who underrated him at Pats for a long time, but actually he's a useful player. Works hard and has an eye for goal. Conor Carty hasn't really got a look in at Pats since returning, but depending on whether we sign a striker that may change now that Mason Melia has gone.

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Originally Posted by nr637

Same place as the Treaty will have one of the smaller budgets! :confused:

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There's a difference between not having money at all and not splurging.

The market has gone crazier and crazier in recent years. Most clubs are increasing budgets year on year (like Treaty) but the money that the likes of Cobh, and now Kerry, are spending is a step above.

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Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

good man sgbawa “stick to football” as your ilk like to parrot , it suits you better. Agree with boyne munich , I dont see how you have drogs as relegation favs even at this early . Budget is increasing next season too

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i think Kevin D did a great job last season but Drogs overachieved and DJT and Markey are two of the best players you had.

Maybe he can do it again, Drogs wouldnt be my wish to go down as opposed to favs if you know what i mean...... Kavanagh is an excelent player and if KD can get him to work at Drogheda pace he could be a replacement for Markey

Its is possible in recent years and 2026 will be no different that 50-60% of the PD could have a relegation scare with a run of poor form. Within that there are clubs that could really get sucked in to the basement battle. Its not a slight on Drogheda to consider it as possible, no more than Waterford, Galway, favourites to go down Dundalk, Sligo have been late to stay safe, Bohs and St Pats briefly flirted with play-offs in recent years. I wouldnt put it past 2026 Champions Elect Derry to sit bottom half and give fans a fright. 10 team format is unforgiving if there are nobody keeping the 9th and 10th spots to themselves and those above safe. Galway were a game or 2 from going top late 2024 and 2025 was a grind to the end to get away from bottom 3 bar Cork being adrift in last.

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Originally Posted by sbgawa

Appologies to all Div 1 clubs , i was just having a little dig at the climate activists ;)

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My apologies to all PD clubs. I usually forget during the international break that there are no PD fixtures! ;)

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Originally Posted by Nesta99

Its is possible in recent years and 2026 will be no different that 50-60% of the PD could have a relegation scare with a run of poor form. Within that there are clubs that could really get sucked in to the basement battle. Its not a slight on Drogheda to consider it as possible, no more than Waterford, Galway, favourites to go down Dundalk, Sligo have been late to stay safe, Bohs and St Pats briefly flirted with play-offs in recent years. I wouldnt put it past 2026 Champions Elect Derry to sit bottom half and give fans a fright. 10 team format is unforgiving if there are nobody keeping the 9th and 10th spots to themselves and those above safe. Galway were a game or 2 from going top late 2024 and 2025 was a grind to the end to get away from bottom 3 bar Cork being adrift in last.

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That’s the challenge of the format now. There seems to be 11 teams good enough for the PD for 10 slots

It’s been a month and with a number of clubs doing some business here is my current early predictions based on the squads.

Premier Division

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

I think it will be pretty tight and nobody will run away with it. I think it’s natural to see Rovers not winning it with no real break for consecutive seasons, thats tough going and I think others will get closer to them and one will surpass this season.

Having seen Dundalk first hand last year, they may have won it with a few games to spare, but it was very unconvincing compared to Cork in 24 and Galway in 23. Their signings compared to relegation potentials are vast right now, I can’t see how they stay up with that squad at the moment.

First Division

1. Cork City
2. Wexford
3. Cobh
4. Kerry
5. UCD
6. Bray
7. Longford
8. Athlone
9. Treaty
10. Finn Harps

With the off field issues at Cork, which won’t ease, I think this will be the toughest task yet to dominate a hungry chasing pack, Wexford Cobh & Kerry have all signed really well to date, Waweru at Cobh, Elliot has brought in some very very good players again and Kerry under Healy have already brought in Vince Borden, Hakkenin, Murphy & notable Cantwell. It’s a toss up at the moment for the bottom, I think Harps will find it tough this year.

I am going to wait until the middle of January, when the international transfer window will have been open for two weeks, to make a prediction because at the minute Galway Utd look doomed!

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Originally Posted by Buckett

I am going to wait until the middle of January, when the international transfer window will have been open for two weeks, to make a prediction because at the minute Galway Utd look doomed!

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Great, we have a chance then.........................

Even if Dundalk 4 more quality signings (will be needed) its going to be very tough to stay up.

PP usually not too far out, runners and riders to finish last, some more hope in that we are not odds on at least and they have 4 others priced same, not sure I`d have Drogs there, but this is what they have:

Dundalk 15/8

Drogs 4/1
Galway 4/1
Sligo 4/1
Wat'd 4/1

I think its far too early for anyone to make any sort of predictions when nobody has a full squad, let alone any friendlies or a half of a pre-season done.

Only prediction I'd be confident at making at this stage is that there'll be a top and bottom 5. The 4 Dublin Clubs and Derry look like they are going to be 15+ points better than the other 5 clubs.

Drogs proved this wrong last season and it was a top 6 bottom 4. I think they are the most likely to do that again. I don't see Dundalk being as weak as those odds suggest.

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Originally Posted by yurt

Only prediction I'd be confident at making at this stage is that there'll be a top and bottom 5. The 4 Dublin Clubs and Derry look like they are going to be 15+ points better than the other 5 clubs.

Drogs proved this wrong last season and it was a top 6 bottom 4. I think they are the most likely to do that again. I don't see Dundalk being as weak as those odds suggest.

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Dundalk need a strong and keep it at first choice GK to have a chance, (we had 4 or 5 last season in PD), Enda Minogue is good but not LOI PD standard my view, rumours of Walsall GK incoming, as ever a bad start for any of the 3 or 4 clubs mentioned and its trouble ahead.

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Originally Posted by dansultheman

It’s been a month and with a number of clubs doing some business here is my current early predictions based on the squads.

Premier Division

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

I think it will be pretty tight and nobody will run away with it. I think it’s natural to see Rovers not winning it with no real break for consecutive seasons, thats tough going and I think others will get closer to them and one will surpass this season.

Having seen Dundalk first hand last year, they may have won it with a few games to spare, but it was very unconvincing compared to Cork in 24 and Galway in 23. Their signings compared to relegation potentials are vast right now, I can’t see how they stay up with that squad at the moment.

First Division

1. Cork City
2. Wexford
3. Cobh
4. Kerry
5. UCD
6. Bray
7. Longford
8. Athlone
9. Treaty
10. Finn Harps

With the off field issues at Cork, which won’t ease, I think this will be the toughest task yet to dominate a hungry chasing pack, Wexford Cobh & Kerry have all signed really well to date, Waweru at Cobh, Elliot has brought in some very very good players again and Kerry under Healy have already brought in Vince Borden, Hakkenin, Murphy & notable Cantwell. It’s a toss up at the moment for the bottom, I think Harps will find it tough this year.

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Wexford had a poor season last year, have they really done that good of business to be predicted to finish 2nd?

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Wexford had a poor season last year, have they really done that good of business to be predicted to finish 2nd?

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As of now, I think they have done a really good job of holding onto their best players and have added some very good additions, Verdon & Doyle from UCD, Hand today from Athlone as well as an on Loan Bohs highly rated player. Again this is as of now, but I do see them as a better outfit than Cobh & Kerry at the moment.

[QUOTE=dansultheman;2238016]As of now, I think they have done a really good job of holding onto their best players and have added some very good additions, Verdon & Doyle from UCD, Hand today from Athlone as well as an on Loan Bohs highly rated player. Again this is as of now, but I do see them as a better outfit than Cobh & Kerry at the moment.[/QUOTE

Verdon couldn't break into a rubbish Longford team, Doyle is a handful but doesn't score enough goals, hand gets around 3 reds a season. Only thing I'd say about Wexford is they have some nice young players who might kick on and dobbs wasn't fit all season

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

I think its far too early for anyone to make any sort of predictions when nobody has a full squad, let alone any friendlies or a half of a pre-season done.

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So what you're saying is Finn Harps to have first division title wrapped up by August, then we can have a proper go at the cup?

I can see that he's done the rounds quite a bit, but I thought Drogs Conor Kane had a very good season in 2025. Given Bohs had struggled with the position, I'm a bit surprised that they didn't have a look at him.