2019 predictions

People really talking up UCD this season. They were good enough in division 1 last season but it's a higher step up and did they not weaken? They were very good in the cup semi last season but didn't always hit these heights or have I got it wrong completely?!

Didn't weaken as much as we could have. Daire is gone to Cork, but was behind Farrugia and McClelland by the end of the season. Sloggett is a loss but hopefully O'Farrell from Pat's will replace him. And Evan Osam has just been ruled out for the season through injury, which is like losing a player. Conor Davis took up where Georgie Kelly left off in terms of goalscoring, which was always one of our weak spots.

We did also beat Waterford in the FAI Cup quarter-finals, and Waterford qualified for Europe. Though on the flip side, we were knocked out on penalties by Bohs' reserves in the League Cup.

1 Dundalk
2 St. Patricks Athletic
3 Cork City
4 Shamrock Rovers
5 Derry City
6 Waterford
7 U.C.D.
8 Bohemian F.C.
9 Sligo Rovers
10 Finn Harps

And in the First,

1 Shelbourne
2 Bray Wanderers
3 Longford Town
4 Drogheda United
5 Cobh Ramblers
6 Cabinteely
7 Wexford
8 Athlone Town

FAI Cup: Cork City
League Cup: St. Patricks Athletic
Top Scorer: Hoban
First Manager Sacked: Bradley

Originally Posted by oriel

For Rovers, you'd think they have to win a trophy this season, or the project is over.

If that's what you honestly think, then you really don't know Rovers at all.

Originally Posted by placid casual

If that's what you honestly think, then you really don't know Rovers at all.

Thev Rovers project will continue even if we don’t win a major trophy for the 8th successive season ..... the Rovers board don’t do accountability

Originally Posted by placid casual

If that's what you honestly think, then you really don't know Rovers at all.

I suppose it may depend on what Oriel means by "the project"

If he is referring to the "Bradley Project", I suspect that the manager could be under pressure for his job if Rovers are not, at a minimum, challenging for the title. I doubt he would survive another 'also ran' season with a third or fourth place finish and no major trophy.

I don't expect that hypothesis to be tested

Originally Posted by Terry

Live and hope TonyD. Always watch out for Pats going back to the days when Galway United players used to join them frequently. My brother brought me up to Dublin one weekend (going back around 25 years here now) and we spent the night out drinking with Peter Carpenter, Ricky Flaherty and others. Best of Luck anyway, would be great to break the top 2 stranglehold this season.

Ah, the rats at St Pats, isn't that what they were christened in Galway at the time ?😄 Johnny Glynn was the third member of that holy trinity, still fondly remembered at Richmond, especially Ricky Flah. Peter Carpenter was a super left back too.

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

I suppose it may depend on what Oriel means by "the project"

If he is referring to the "Bradley Project", I suspect that the manager could be under pressure for his job if Rovers are not, at a minimum, challenging for the title. I doubt he would survive another 'also ran' season with a third or fourth place finish and no major trophy.

I don't expect that hypothesis to be tested

Fair enough if he was referring to Bradley, I assumed he was speaking about the grander Rovers project if producing young players through the academy. That will survive Bradley ,and many more besides, I'd wager.

Go way too fcuk, Rovers project will be over, its been going on since 1899, its in its 3rd different century.

1. Dundalk
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Cork
4. St. Pats
5. Waterford
6. Bohemians
7. Derry City
8. UCD
9. Sligo Rovers
10. Finn Harps

1. Longford
2. Shelbourne
3. Bray
4. Drogheda
5. Limerick
6. Galway
7. Cobh
8. Wexford
9. Cabinteely
10. Athlone

Originally Posted by Kingswood Rover

Go way too fcuk, Rovers project will be over, its been going on since 2005, its in its 3rd different county.

fixed that for you

Originally Posted by Kingswood Rover

Go way too fcuk, Rovers project will be over, its been going on since 1899, its in its 3rd different century.

I agree, it's never too early for pre-match drinks....

PD
1. Dundalk
2. Shamrock Rovers
3. Cork
4. St. Pats
5. Waterford
6. Derry City
7. Bohemians
8. UCD
9. Sligo Rovers
10.Finn Harps

FD
1. Longford
2. Shelbourne
3. Bray
4. Drogheda
5. Cobh
6. Galway
7. Limerick
8. Wexford
9. Cabinteely
10. Athlone


FAI Cup:Rovers - its theirs to lose
League Cup: Cork City
Top Scorer: Hoban
First Manager Sacked: Reynolds

I dont think there will be much between Rovers and Cork for 2nd, and I've gone for a wild card in Longford for the FD. Recently retired, then not retired DFC man actually doing a good job there, they looked decent against Dundalk a few weeks ago, 2-2 draw. I just dont think Shels will walk this as most think, then again.............

For what it’s worth

PD
1. Dundalk
2. St. Pat’s
3. Shamrock Rovers
4. Cork
5. Waterford
6. Derry City
7. UCD
8. Bohemians
9. Finn Harps
10. Sligo Rovers

Dundalk in a landslide, Pats to shade battle for 2nd with Rovers and Cork. Waterford a little off the pace with a gap to Derry & UCD.

Bohemians, Harps and Sligo to be very close at the bottom. While the heart would like the Bit O’Red to avoid the drop, the recruitment has even just too erratic with too many gambles ahead of this season, rough opening few fixtures (Dundalk, Pats, Cork) have the potential to pile on the misery early too. Keith Long and Ollie Horgan have the experience of the budgetless dogfight which I feel will shade it in their favour but the playoff won’t be much solace.

FD
1. Shelbourne
2. Bray Wanderers
3. Longford
4. Drogheda
5. Galway
6. Limerick
7. Cobh
8. Athlone
9. Cabinteely
10. Wexford

Hard to look past Shels with the investment and recruitment. Bray are sending out the right signals and would fancy them to win a play off series.

Neale Fenn has been building a decent side in City Calling even with the loss of Dylan McGlade to the Seagulls and they will compete with Drogheda for the third place spot.

Galway and Limerick are both rebuilding this year and look to have potential but budget constraints mean a net departure in their squads. Cobh were poor against St. Pats in preseason but should be best of the rest.

I expect Athlone to be more competitive this season and their new playing surface should help them on the field and off it. Cabo and Wexford will join the the midlanders around the foot of the table though.

FAI Cup: St. Pat’s
League Cup: Shelbourne
Top Scorer: Hoban
Managers sacked: At least 5 across both divisions during the season.
Clubs publicly in financial difficulty: 1

1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Cork
3. Dundalk
4. St. Pats
5. Waterford
6. Sligo Rovers
7. Derry City
8. Bohemians
9. Finn Harps
10. UCD

1. Shelbourne
2. Longford
3. Galway
4. Drogheda
5. Limerick
6. Bray
7. Cobh
8. Wexford
9. Cabinteely
10. Athlone

PD
1. Dundalk
2. St. Pat’s
3. Shamrock Rovers
4. Cork
5. Waterford
6. Derry City
7. Bohemians
8. Sligo Rovers
9. Finn Harps
10. UCD

Originally Posted by Briuk

PD
1. Dundalk
2. St. Pat’s
3. Shamrock Rovers
4. Cork
5. Waterford
6. Derry City
7. Bohemians
8. Sligo Rovers
9. Finn Harps
10. UCD

Dundalk to win the league by more than 10 points
Caufield to be sacked.
Waterford and Sligo to sign a lot of players yet

FAI CUP: Dundalk
Ea Sports Cup: Shamrock/Pats

Originally Posted by TonyD

Ah, the rats at St Pats, isn't that what they were christened in Galway at the time ?😄 Johnny Glynn was the third member of that holy trinity, still fondly remembered at Richmond, especially Ricky Flah. Peter Carpenter was a super left back too.

Noel Mernagh rat-tailed it over to ye as well!
Predictions:
Premier
1 Dundalk
2 Pats
3 Cork
4 Rovers
5 Bohs
6 UCD
7 Derry
8 Waterford
9 Sligo
10 Harps

First Div
1 Shels
2 Longford
3 Drogheda
4 Bray
5 Limerick
6 United
7 Cobh
8 Cabo
9 Wexford
10 Athlone

Originally Posted by Kingswood Rover

Go way too fcuk, Rovers project will be over, its been going on since 1899, its in its 3rd different century.

One more than Dublin City FC so

Here are the averages of all the predictions made on this thread (which if memory serves turned out to be reasonably accurate for most teams in previous seasons):



Premier Division

1	Dundalk	1.27
2	Shamrock Rovers	2.61
3	St Patrick's Athletic	2.97
4	Cork City	3.22
5	Waterford	5.31
6	Derry City	6.56
7	Bohemians	7.22
8	UCD	7.84
9	Sligo Rovers	8.53
10	Finn Harps	9.44

First Division

Shelbourne 1.26
Bray Wanderers 2.73
Longford Town 2.60
Drogheda United 3.79
Galway United 5.35
Cobh Ramblers 6.39
Limerick 6.46
Cabinteely 8.07
Athlone Town 8.83
Wexford Town 9.41