Premier & First Division Predictions - 2024

[pineapple stu]

best predictions thread ever

Do we need to include "First poster to get offended at where others predict their team will finish" in future years?

[Nesta99]

In line with Foot.ie tradition it should be Worst predictions thread ever!

[redarmyfaction]

Galway into 4/1 from 11/1 to finish last with Powers after one game, I backed at 9/1 and when I tried again at 11s they wouldn't lay me. Free bet on the market for Placid and I at 5/1. Drogs now favs in the market.

[Nesta99]

What are the tradition adjusted odds?

[Kiki Balboa]

Maybe it is cheating to do this a week in, but I didn't have time to do it before:

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

First sacked: Devine (seem knifes are already out)
Top scorer: Hoban

Honestly see so little between 2nd and 6th, and are nearly interchangeable. I have zero trust in Derry, unless Hoban can change the whole attitude up there. I am not sure either of St. Pats - a lot of young talent left, and havent seen anything special from Daly. Although that defense looks pretty mean.

I think there is potential for a season to go horribly / spectacularly wrong for one or two clubs. There are no easy games at all in the league, so any problems that emerge, you could imagine it could easily tumble into a cl*sterf*ck. This seems like a very unforgiven league. Just no easy points or stretches anywhere. I picked Bohs and Galway as most obvious candidates (Galway because it seems like a very good first division squad, not a premier) , but really it could happen to anyone. In that regard, I wouldnt be too surprised if Rovers did not win the league. It just seems too easy to drop points consistently and the season getting away from a team.

Dundalk in 2nd place mainly because I like them. Also, a big squad to be able to handle the league. Just worried about left-back, and scoring goals... and defending in general... and loan players leaving huge gaps in the squad ... Actually, think we might win the league now...

[placid casual]

Has fentanyl reached dundalk?

[Nesta99]

Has fentanyl reached dundalk?

Dont be so glib!

[redarmyfaction]

Bottom place betting
Drogs 13/5
Dundalk 11/4
Waterford, Galway and us 5/1

Shamrock eased a little to win it 10/11
Derry 13/5
Shels 11/2 and Pats out to 11s
source PP.

[Martinho II]

Bottom place betting
Drogs 13/5
Dundalk 11/4
Waterford, Galway and us 5/1

Shamrock eased a little to win it 10/11
Derry 13/5
Shels 11/2 and Pats out to 11s
source PP.

I have a weird feelin that Dundalk will go down, think the bubble has burst with them, Hey even Drogs are playin much better! Hoban is a massive loss altogether

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Not that weird if you saw them last night

[redarmyfaction]

I have a weird feelin that Dundalk will go down, think the bubble has burst with them, Hey even Drogs are playin much better! Hoban is a massive loss altogether

The 2 Louth teams are more or less joint favs for last 3.6 Drogs and 3.75 Dundalk.

[Nesta99]

Bookies get it right and my faith in tradition is decimated!

[adydcfc]

Maybe it is cheating to do this a week in, but I didn't have time to do it before:

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

First sacked: Devine (seem knifes are already out)
Top scorer: Hoban

Honestly see so little between 2nd and 6th, and are nearly interchangeable. I have zero trust in Derry, unless Hoban can change the whole attitude up there. I am not sure either of St. Pats - a lot of young talent left, and havent seen anything special from Daly. Although that defense looks pretty mean.

I think there is potential for a season to go horribly / spectacularly wrong for one or two clubs. There are no easy games at all in the league, so any problems that emerge, you could imagine it could easily tumble into a cl*sterf*ck. This seems like a very unforgiven league. Just no easy points or stretches anywhere. I picked Bohs and Galway as most obvious candidates (Galway because it seems like a very good first division squad, not a premier) , but really it could happen to anyone. In that regard, I wouldnt be too surprised if Rovers did not win the league. It just seems too easy to drop points consistently and the season getting away from a team.

Dundalk in 2nd place mainly because I like them. Also, a big squad to be able to handle the league. Just worried about left-back, and scoring goals... and defending in general... and loan players leaving huge gaps in the squad ... Actually, think we might win the league now...

Jez this is turning out well

[total hoofball]

I've got Devine getting the bullet within the first 10 games spot on but early signs John Russell so far letting me down he is putting up a good fight over my prediction for him to be next manager sacked

[redarmyfaction]

Avg positions

Shams 1.07
Derry 2.43
Pats 2.60
Shels 4.17
Bohs 5.90
Dundalk 6.20
Drogs 7.20
Galway 7.60
Waterford 8.80
Rovers 9.03

Cork 1.25
UCD 2.92
Wexford 2.96
Bray 4.42
Athlone 5.75
Longford 5.96
Harps 6.08
Treaty 7.83
Cobh 7.96
Kerry 9.88

With I think more half the season over, only Derry in the right spot.

	Predicted	Actual
1	Shams 1.07	Shels	3
2	Derry 2.43	Derry	=
3	Pats 2.60	Shams	-2
4	Shels 4.17	Waterford	5
5	Bohs 5.90	Galway	3
6	Dundalk 6.20	Rovers	4
7	Drogs 7.20	Bohs	-2
8	Galway 7.60	Pats	-5
9	Waterford 8.80	Dundalk	-3
10	Rovers 9.03	Drogs	-3

[pineapple stu]

I can't remember being a season less clear, for the most part, than this one. It seems like half the Premier hasn't put a full squad together yet, and equally that they're only a couple of injuries away from a crisis. And I've no idea about the first.

I'll go -

Premier Division
1) Rovers. I don't see that the others have done enough to catch up, but equally I don't see that Pohls/McEneff for Mannus/Finn (which seems effectively what their transfer activity has amounted to) is enough to address their recent European shortcomings.
2) Derry. Them or Pat's have the advantage of regular Euro money, but I think Derry with Hoban and Whelan as new signings on 2023 will give them an edge over Pat's. (Whelan's not a new signing obviously, but if he can get fit then he'd as good as be one, seeing as he managed three sub games last season)
3) Pat's
4) Galway. Let's go mad. The middle standings seem to be in a bit of crisis this year (thinking Bohs/Dundalk); it's a good year for someone to sneak up on the rails. 94 points and two Cup hammerings of Premier sides; I think people are underestimating them.
5) Shels. Duffer did well last year and their squad seems to have been reasonably settled over pre-season.
6) Dundalk. I know nothing about the players they've signed (bar Dara Keane!) Still seem a little bit ahead of Bohs/Drogheda/Waterford/Sligo though.
7) Bohs. Didn't have a great second half to last season, and don't seem to have replaced Afolabi or Talbot.
8) Drogheda. Probably exceeded expectations last year, but even then they were a long way off Bohs (17 points). Not sure enough has happened for them to make that up.
9) Sligo. Ed McGinty could be a big late signing (even if it's a blow for the LoI that he's flopped in England)
10) Waterford. When they were bad last season they were really bad, and they won't have Coughlan's goals to help them. The Fleetwood link could yet spring a surprise signing though (or even Tommy Lonergan)

First Division
Cork have to win. Or at least if they don't win it, serious questions have to be asked about what the hell is going on down there. UCD should be in the play-offs; Brennan and Finn is an exceptional First Division midfield. Kerry look like they're settling in for last again, albeit with more points than last year. The rest I have absolutely no idea about.

Time to read back what I said at the start of the year so!

Not too bad overall. Didn't expect Shels to repeat last season's Euro run, let alone win outright, but I don't think many did. And didn't expect Dundalk to tank so badly - 16 points off eighth. Galway in fourth was probably the pick of the good calls. First Division predictions all band through, albeit none were exactly groundbreaking stuff

[thebronze14]

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!!

Not great at all. Did the Dundalk last Gullian even score?!?!

[legendz]

Premier Division:
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Derry City
3. St Pats
4. Shelbourne
5. Bohemians
6. Galway
7. Dundalk
8. Sligo
9. Waterford
10. Drogheda

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

Kerry left a lot of points behind them last year. They'll want to improve on that this year.

Drogheda are dogged alright. I'm backing Waterford for at least another playoff and Galway for 6th. Same top 4 as last year. Bohs up one. Dundalk, Sligo and Drogheda in that order of the remaining 3, with Waterford in the playoffs.

I predicted the same top 4 as last year. I didn't see Shels winning the league. I was confident on Galway. Didn't think Bohs and Dundalk would drop so much. Bohs and Dundalk went into the final round last year still in the hunt for the top 4. Shels finished 4th and have gone on to win the league. Dundalk have gone the other direction.
I wanted to predict a higher finish for Waterford but couldn't work out who would finish below them. I was scoffed at by a Dundalk supporter for predicting Drogs for automatic relegation! The Dundalk supporter must have known more that they were the ones who were going to implode so much.
8 of my 10 First Division predictions were correct. I just got the order of Treaty and Cobh wrong, and there wasn't much in it.
Depending on the off season, I might be predicting Cork to finish in the top 8 next year. Tough call on any of top 8 this year finishing below them.

[dundalkfc10]

Not great at all. Did the Dundalk last Gullian even score?!?!

He scored 6 league goals. Pretty sure only 1 from open play V Pats, all others were free kicks or penalties

[joey B]

He scored 6 league goals. Pretty sure only 1 from open play V Pats, all others were free kicks or penalties

The decision to let Pat Hoban go might have been one of the worst ever in the LOI ….