IST Division Outright Prices

[Sam_Heggy]

I think we're all in the same boat there, except for Derry having Farren. But as always someone will come from nowhere and bang in loads. Much like Cummins for yous last season.

Ahem, Kevin McHugh - 122 goals in 248 League appearances for Harps.
Keep an eye out for Stephen McLaughlin for us also this season, top notch young lad.

We won't win the division (far from it) but we should be challenging for a play-off place, I would be well happy with that tbh.

[CSFShels]

Kevin McHugh scored those goals 5 years ago Sam. His most recent spell at Linfield and Derry actually certainly weren't so prolific so I'd be reluctant to stick him under that bracket.

[Scrufil]

Last season everyone was convinced Sporting Fingal would walk the First Division. They didn't but they managed, despite finishing third, to get promoted. I siad Waterford last year and they fell well short.

Athlone Town have a better chance of a mid-table finish this season and if we get an early run and gates increase then any mid-season signings might make the difference where Athlone finish. At least this year we have a goal keeper. I am just hoping Brendan Place manages to hold the squad together and gives up on 'the blame game' he indulged in last season that led to individual players feeling bitter and put upon by his management style. That said I hope Place lasts to the end of the season. We need a manager who can stay the course.

[Sam_Heggy]

Kevin McHugh scored those goals 5 years ago Sam. His most recent spell at Linfield and Derry actually certainly weren't so prolific so I'd be reluctant to stick him under that bracket.

At neither club was he played as the out and out striker, usually played at right mid for both clubs.

[CSFShels]

I know that, havent criticised him as a player, but he still hasn't been a top goalscorer for 5 years. So it'd be mad to stick him in that category.

[stann]

You're certainly mistaken. He hasn't been in the top 10 scorers for the last 2 seasons.

WJK was 8th last season in league goals, tied on 11 with Glynn behind Conan Byrne, Cummins, Bermingham, McAllister, O'Flynn, Zayed and Kilduff. Don't have the overall scoring tables for the year but given he had - I think - 17 goals in all competitions, I can only see that rank improving, and certainly not slipping any.
Didn't score a whole lot the previous year though, 6 if memory serves.

[Terry]

WJK was 8th last season in league goals, tied on 11 with Glynn behind Conan Byrne, Cummins, Bermingham, McAllister, O'Flynn, Zayed and Kilduff. Don't have the overall scoring tables for the year but given he had - I think - 17 goals in all competitions, .

League goals only here:

20 Conan Byrne
17 Graham Cummins
16 David McAllister
15 Eamon Zayed
14 Stephen O'Flynn
14 Derek Glynn
14 Karl Bermingham
14 Ciaran Kilduff
12 Anthony Flood
12 Willie John Kiely
10 Noel McGee
8 Conor Gethins
8 Michael Funston
8 David McMillan
8 Gary Sheehan
7 Barry Clancy
7 Gary O'Neill
7 Evan McMillan

[bennocelt]

Wexford have lost too many of their best players to challenge, I think. Yer man gone to Pat's is the obvious example (so obvious I can't remember his name...)

Monaghan at 18s may be worth an each way shot. They had a great second half of last season; pretty much title-winning form throughout (last 15 games - W D W W L L W D D W W W W W W per soccerbot; 10-3-2). Don't think they've lost anyone they're worried about.

Edit - Conor Sinnott; that's the one.

yeah thats the one I was looking out for, there end of season form was pretty amazing, wonder have they kept much of that squad together?

[Schumi]

yeah thats the one I was looking out for, there end of season form was pretty amazing, wonder have they kept much of that squad together?

I'm not sure of their squad but they didn't look anything special in the friendly against us. That said I thought they were pretty bad the three times we played them last year and they did alright the rest of the time so that may not mean much.

[stann]

20 Conan Byrne
17 Graham Cummins
16 David McAllister
15 Eamon Zayed
14 Stephen O'Flynn
14 Derek Glynn
14 Karl Bermingham
14 Ciaran Kilduff
12 Anthony Flood
12 Willie John Kiely
...

Oops! Got my figures from eleven-a-side, who seem to have overlooked the last round of games!
Too big a discrepancy on Glynn's score though, something wrong there, unlikely to have scored a hat-trick in a 1-1 draw.
But anyway, 9th it is at worst then.

[Longfordian]

Glynn got a hat trick against Shels in one of the last games. 14 sounds about right

[peadar1987]

I think we're all in the same boat there, except for Derry having Farren. But as always someone will come from nowhere and bang in loads. Much like Cummins for yous last season.

How is Farren getting on? Is he going to be okay to play after his health problems last season?

A great player, and one I always enjoyed watching, even if he was a nightmare for our defence!

[Martinho II]

Glynn got a hat trick against Shels in one of the last games. 14 sounds about right

yep longfordians right on that point...

[Dodge]

Monaghan lost their keeper (who was exceptional) to WOlves

[bluemovie]

There'll be some good players in the First Division this year - Mark Farren, Liam Kearney, Kevin McHugh, David Cassidy, Graham Cummins probably George O'Callaghan.

Fingal's squad looks to me to be the third best in the Premier Division and they only came third in the First Division last year. Most clubs have improved their squads. Should be a really competitive division and with Derry and that new team from Cork coming in, some of the Graveyard element should go.

[dancinpants]

Davy McDaid is not up to the standard, we should know, we had him for most of last season - 1 goal to his name.

The same Davy McDaid that scored in three of our last four league games last season in the Premier Division? Aye yer right Sammy - defo not up to first division standard LMAO

Sweeney has 3 in preseason... something positive about that surely? Yes Eddie McCallion isn't as young as he was but easily above the standard required. Friars stood out at an average IL Premier Div side - a standard easily comparable to the LOI 1st division.

Maybe what you see as sh!t might actually be half decent under the right coaching, management?

[sheao]

You can get odds of 7/1 for us to win the first division . http://www.oddschecker.com/football/...ion/win-market

[total hoofball]

Oops! Got my figures from eleven-a-side, who seem to have overlooked the last round of games!
Too big a discrepancy on Glynn's score though, something wrong there, unlikely to have scored a hat-trick in a 1-1 draw.
But anyway, 9th it is at worst then.

I have Glynn down for 13 league goals and 2 FAI Cup goals in 2009, WJK hit 11 in the League, 4 in FAI Cup and 2 in League Cup

[total hoofball]

There'll be some good players in the First Division this year - Mark Farren, Liam Kearney, Kevin McHugh, David Cassidy, Graham Cummins probably George O'Callaghan.

Fingal's squad looks to me to be the third best in the Premier Division and they only came third in the First Division last year. Most clubs have improved their squads. Should be a really competitive division and with Derry and that new team from Cork coming in, some of the Graveyard element should go.

I'd agree with the bulk of that, definitely a more competitive FD in store this season although I don't think the top 3/4 will be as strong as UCD, Shels, Fingal and Waterford were last season

For me Derry and Waterford should battle it out for the title while I expect a close battle in the fight to finish top 3 into the play-offs, I think those clubs will be Shels, Monaghan, Limerick and an outside chance for Harps and Longford. Cork FORAS are obviously hard to gauge but there is no reason that by the summer if they can get the big crowds in that they'll have a healthy budget to afford a very strong FD squad. I think Wexford may slip back a little after losing a few players, Athlone haven't improved enough on last season so they may struggle and Salthill and Mervue will find it tough but they won't be walkovers.

[CSFShels]

People are seriously underestimating Shels because of our lack of big names this year, these same people seem to be forgetting that our big names over the last few years with the exception of Sparky have been ****.