What an off season - now the actual season

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Originally Posted by GUFCghost

We Don't 100% know about fingal,sure they won the cup but the big teams (bohs,Rovers,Derry) where not in there.

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I think alot of people who are predicting that Fingal will challenge Bohs and Rovers are forgetting that Fingal could only finish 3rd in the First Division with a full-time squad, top players and the largest budget in the history of the FD, the re-introduction of the play-offs for 3rd place teams last season saved Liam Buckley's bacon for what was a very poor league performance considering their resources. From what I saw of them last season they looked a lazy side who couldn't give a ****e and apart from the signing of Ger O'Brien I don't see where they have improved their likely starting XI.

I agree with you , I`m dont think Fingal will challenge at all this season, mid table at best.

I dont see the quality players coming in for Sligo to suggest what most of their fans on here are saying (avg of 3rd spot), why do you think you can improve 3 places on last year ? - very confident or cocky. Now I think you`ll be challenging for the top 4, but I seriously think you`re under estimating the other teams quality around you.

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

Bohs and Rovers should do very well in Europe, would be great if they got Northern Irish or Welsh opposition just to show what a gulf in class there is. Fingal should do quite well too and obviously i don't know who the other team will be.

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Originally Posted by total hoofball

I think alot of people who are predicting that Fingal will challenge Bohs and Rovers are forgetting that Fingal could only finish 3rd in the First Division with a full-time squad, top players and the largest budget in the history of the FD, the re-introduction of the play-offs for 3rd place teams last season saved Liam Buckley's bacon for what was a very poor league performance considering their resources. From what I saw of them last season they looked a lazy side who couldn't give a ****e and apart from the signing of Ger O'Brien I don't see where they have improved their likely starting XI.

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I dont think many people are saying we will challenge for the title. They are just predicting we may finish third. Now im not saying we will and my personal prediction is 4th or 5th but I think you are also failing to take into consideration our terrible injury problems last season. This really hindered us.
I do agree with you that at times we did look lazy and where not always up to the task of getting out the league but when it mattered most, we really turned it on, we beat Shamrock rvs, we beat sligo, we beat shels and we beat Bray to have the success we had. I think the players will be a lot more tuned in this year, plus its a more settled side than the previous year, which had a lot of changes to it.

As for our signings I think you can add Finn and Browne to the good signings we have made plus the new lad Quinn looks a good player.

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Originally Posted by total hoofball

I think alot of people who are predicting that Fingal will challenge Bohs and Rovers are forgetting that Fingal could only finish 3rd in the First Division with a full-time squad, top players and the largest budget in the history of the FD, the re-introduction of the play-offs for 3rd place teams last season saved Liam Buckley's bacon for what was a very poor league performance considering their resources. From what I saw of them last season they looked a lazy side who couldn't give a ****e and apart from the signing of Ger O'Brien I don't see where they have improved their likely starting XI.

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You're right with that, but I thought they saved their better performances for the bigger games - against us and Shels in the league, and obviously in the Cup. Trips to Mervue were beneath them. I think they'll be more up for the Premier. That said, their pre-season hasn't been impressive at all.

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Originally Posted by SligoBrewer

1. Bohs
2. Rovers
3. Shams
4. Pats
5. Dundalk
6. Fungus
7. Drogheda
8. UCD
9. Bray
10. Galway.

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I love your optimism, if nothing else.

Without been smart with Derry and Cork gone we only have 1 place to climb really!!Granted Fingal should be strong enough for at least mid-table and Pats cant be as bad as last year but think we have added enough to still finish ahead of them and reckon we could be stronger than yous aswell which would give us 3rd but sure look in bout 8 or 9 weeks after the first programme of games we should have a fair idea!!Do you think ye are stronger this year than ye were at this time last year??{serious question.not trying to be smart again!!}

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Originally Posted by 1st time post

Without been smart with Derry and Cork gone we only have 1 place to climb really!!Granted Fingal should be strong enough for at least mid-table and Pats cant be as bad as last year but think we have added enough to still finish ahead of them and reckon we could be stronger than yous aswell which would give us 3rd but sure look in bout 8 or 9 weeks after the first programme of games we should have a fair idea!!Do you think ye are stronger this year than ye were at this time last year??{serious question.not trying to be smart again!!}

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You mean Shels? or UCD?

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Originally Posted by kid creole

Could people stop predicting us to win , makes me feel uncomfortable.

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1- Cork City Foras Co-op
2- Derry
3- Shels
4- Finn Harps
5- Monaghan
6- Limerick
7- Longford
8- Wexford Youths
9- Athlone
10- Waterford
11- Mervue
12- Salthill


There ya go ;)

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Originally Posted by 1st time post

Without been smart with Derry and Cork gone we only have 1 place to climb really!!Granted Fingal should be strong enough for at least mid-table and Pats cant be as bad as last year but think we have added enough to still finish ahead of them and reckon we could be stronger than yous aswell which would give us 3rd but sure look in bout 8 or 9 weeks after the first programme of games we should have a fair idea!!Do you think ye are stronger this year than ye were at this time last year??{serious question.not trying to be smart again!!}

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not that we are stronger, we look like we give a fook this season, last year we didnt, if we played in the league as we did in europe, we wouldnt have been as low.
this season we look up for it, judging by some of the tackles i have seen in pre-season, i thought we made linfield look gick on friday altho it was a 2nd string team from team, but either way, they should have been match fit, we created a few chances and probably should have won, only issue i would have is the back 4, but hopefully they will gel, with a few more games under their belt. we only ask for effort, not expecting miracles, heres to a good season.

my 2 cents
1 Bohs
2 Rovers
3 Dundalk
4 Fingal
5 SLigo
6 Pats
7 Drogheda
8 UCD
9 Galway
10 Bray

Really all depends on the start we get. Last season we had a poor start and for the 1st half of the season we where playing catch up. Our opening 2 games are Bray away and drogheda at home and hope we can get 6 pts from those 2 games and it gives us great confidence going to rovers then.
It is going to be very tight this season and i reckon there will not be a 20 pint difference between 3rd and 9th. it really will be tight and i am quitely confident with the squad we have assembled that we are the best of the rest.

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Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

my 2 cents
1 Bohs
2 Rovers
3 Dundalk
4 Fingal
5 SLigo
6 Pats
7 Drogheda
8 UCD
9 Galway
10 Bray

Really all depends on the start we get. Last season we had a poor start and for the 1st half of the season we where playing catch up. Our opening 2 games are Bray away and drogheda at home and hope we can get 6 pts from those 2 games and it gives us great confidence going to rovers then.
It is going to be very tight this season and i reckon there will not be a 20 pint difference between 3rd and 9th. it really will be tight and i am quitely confident with the squad we have assembled that we are the best of the rest.

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Think the "good start" factor applies to all clubs. I would see both Dundalk and Sligo doing better than Fingal simply because I think at home they are far more difficult opponents. To do well in the league you need a good home record and I think Oriel and the Showies are far more difficult places to go than Santry.
I expect UCD to play a better brand of football than they did when last in the Prem but, again goalscoring may prove difficult for them. Galway are difficult as the Seanie show is rarely predictable (although his teams do have a tendency to make europe). I expect Pats to do better than last season but in all honesty they were the greatest underachievers in the league (based on budget).I dont think the players they have brought in are League winning standard but both Mahon and Gill are capable of doing well off a small budget so should be top half. I can see Drogs and Bray in the basement positions.

At least it will be fun to be back talking about on field matters and watching as our "well thought out" predictions collapse due to injury and/or some "artistic" (ie made up/mad) ref decisions ;). The time of year when we all start out with (usually misguided) hope and expectation before reality comes to town.

Best of luck to all for the new season.

First Division has to be between Waterford, Derry and Shels. Shels will be as hard to beat as ever and I think they'll be there abouts all season, Waterford have a strong side but they'll miss the players they've lost and I have a feeling they might just miss out on the title, Derry have kept a lot of proven premier division players and have a strong pool of younger players so they should be champions, it won't be easy though. Below that Harps look stronger this year and Monaghan have been improving consistantly, Cork will probably struggle a bit in the first half of the season, but they'll strenghten in the transfer window and should be well in the top half by the end. Limerick, Longford, Youths and Athlone will be fairly evenly matched and will be around the same level as Harps, Monaghan and Cork, the final order among them could really go any way, a good start could be all important for the likes of Youths and Monaghan. Mervue and Salthill could really struggle and I'd be surpised to see either team picking up too many wins.

Derry
Waterford
Shels
Harps
Monaghan
Cork
Limerick
Youths
Longford
Athlone
Mervue
Salthill

1.Bohs
2.Shamrock Rovers
3.Dundalk
4.St Pats
5.Sporting Fingal
6.Sligo Rovers
7.U.C.D
8.Drogheda United
9.Galway United
10.Bray Wanderers

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

1. Derry
2. Shels
3. Waterford
4. Limerick
5. Harps
6. Monaghan
7. Cork
8. Longford
9. Athlone
10. Wexford
11. Mervue
12. Salthill

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Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

You mean Shels? or UCD?

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Meant to quote Oriel there and was asking bout Dundalks squad.My league predictions would be...

Premier
1.Bohs
2.Shamrock
3.Sligo Rovers
4.Pats
5.Fingal
6.Dundalk
7.Drogs
8.Galway
9.UCD
10.Bray

First Division looks tricky but will go with Derry and Waterford fighting it out for title and Monaghan and Limerick to surprise people.

1. Bohs
2. Rovers
3. Pats
4. Dundalk
5. Sligo
6. Fingal
7. Drogs
8. Galway
9. UCD
10. Bray

1. Waterford
2. Derry
3. Shels
4. Longford
5. Limerick
6. Monaghan
7. Harps
8. Foras
9. Athlone
10. Wexford
11. Mervue
12. Salthill

1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Bohs
3. Pats
4. Sligo
5. Dundalk
6. Fingal
7. Drogs
8. UCD
9. Galway
10. Bray

1. Shels
2. Waterford
3. Derry
4. Limerick
5. Harps
6. Longford
7. Athlone
8. Wexford
9. Monaghan
10. Foras
11. Mervue
12. Salthill

Premier

1. Shamrock Rvs
2. Bohs
3. Fingal
4. Dundalk
5. Pat's
6. Galway
7. Sligo
8. Drogheda
9. UCD
10. Bray

First

1. Derry City
2. Shelbourne
3. Waterford
4. Finn Harps
5. Monaghan Utd
6. Limerick
7. Cork
8. Longford
9. Athlone
10. Wexford
11. Salthill
12. Mervue

Shels to go up via play-off

Dundalk for the cup

Shamrock Rvs for the league cup

Bohs for the Setanta