2026 Predictions and early musings

[total hoofball]

Going with my predictions below, while Shels look very strong upfront and in the middle of the park I feel the very similar backline to last season with the exception of Casey is going to cost us

First Division looks hilariously bad, Cork to win by a minimum of 25 points and everyone else can finish anywhere from 2nd to 10th


Premier Division:

1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Shelbourne
3. Derry City
4. St. Patrick's Athletic
5. Bohemians
6. Sligo Rovers
7. Drogheda United
8. Waterford
9. Dundalk
10. Galway United


First Division:

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

[Dalymountrower]

Rovers
Derry
Shels
Pats
Drogheda
Waterford
Bohs
Sligo
Dundalk
Ga;way

Cup: Derry
Top scorer: Burke
First Manager sacked: Renny

That prediction is a keeper!

[legendz]

PREMIER DIVISION
1. Shamrock Rovers
2. Derry City
3. St Pat's
4. Bohemians
5. Shelbourne
6. Waterford
7. Galway United
8. Sligo Rovers
9. Dundalk
10. Drogheda

FIRST DIVISION
Next week.

[outspoken]

Derry
Rovers
Shels
Bohs
Pats
Drogheda
Waterford
Sligo
Dundalk
Galway

Cork
Cobh
Bray
UCD
Longford
Wexford
Kerry
Treaty
Finn Harps
Athlone

Cup: Derry
Top scorer: Amond
First sacked : Caulfield

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Shams
Shels
Derry
Pats
Bohs
Drogs
Waterford
Rovers
Dundalk
Galway

[culloty82]

As our Harps fans have alluded, you can pretty much throw pins at everyone after Cork in the First Division, but the pressure will certainly be on Healy to hit the ground running this year.

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

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

[WoodquayBoy]

Given my prediction history, this can be safely ignored:

Premier Division:

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

First Division:

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

Cup: Bohs
Top-scorer: Amond
First to get the boot: should be Caulfield but he’s untouchable so Groves at Longford.

[ForzaForth]

Two Divisions in which Wexford are interested look like foregone conclusions. Surprisingly, it’s the Premier which may be the most interesting.

First Division
Cork
Kerry
UCD
Bray
Wexford
Cobh
Treaty
Harps
Athlone
Longford

Women’s National League
Athlone
Shelbourne
Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers
Wexford
Galway
Peamount
Treaty
DLR
Sligo
Cork
Waterford

Premier Division
Shamrock Rovers
Shelbourne
Derry City
St. Patrick’s Athletic
Bohemians
Drogheda
Waterford
Sligo Rovers
Dundalk
Galway

[pineapple stu]

If Cork don't win the First handily, there was to be serious questions asked (same as Dundalk last season)

We've lost a lot of attacking talent in the last 12 months and we look set to have a younger than usual team this year I think. Could be a transition season for us and play-offs aren't a guarantee, though the players I've never heard of generally turn out to be quite decent on the whole.

I don't know where Cobh are at this season - were going all out last year and then imploded in a strange late-season manager-sacking. Kerry need to start getting their act together for the money they have, and Athlone look to be stronger too.

Cork
Bray
Cobh
Treaty
UCD
Kerry
Wexford
Athlone
Harps
Longford

In the Premier - will Pat's under Kenny be like 2024 or 2025? It does seem there's a clear top four though, and the relegation battle seems to be between Dundalk and Galway, though Sligo/Waterford/Drogheda could easily join it with a bad run of injuries.

Rovers
Derry
Pat's
Shels
Bohs
Sligo
Waterford
Drogheda
Galway
Dundalk

[redarmyfaction]

It is concerning to see posters putting us out of the bottom 2 year, normally most on here have us relegated at this stage, I am afraid we might get found out this year without the manager adopts a more direct approach and sticks with it.

@ Nah Nah Nah Nah, are you going to do your average prediction table this season?

Derry
Shams
Shels
Pat's
Bohs
Drogs
Waterford
Rover
Dundalk
Galway

[Burnsie]

here are yizzer averages

Premier Division

1. Shamrock Rovers 1.30
2. Derry 2.07
3. Shelbourne 2.91
4. St Pat's 4.45
5. Bohemsians 4.55
6. Drogheda 6.59
7. Waterford 7.14
8. Sligo 7.32
9. Dundalk 9.09
10. Galway 9.45


First Division


1. Cork 1.00
2. Cobh 3.57
3. Bray 3.21
4. UCD 4.36
5. Wexford 5.50
6. Kerry 5.29
7. Finn Harps 7.50
8. Treaty 7.71
9. Athlone 8.07
10. Longford 8.79

[pineapple stu]

"Yizzer" is a fantastic word btw. Much underused!

[ger121]

Derry
Rovers
Shels
Bohs
Pat’s
Drogs
Waterford
Sligo
Dundalk
Galway

Cork
Bray
Cobh
UCD
Kerry
Wexford
Treaty
Harps
Longford
Athlone

[outspoken]

Out of interest why have so many of you got Longford Bottom? This is a team who had the best form in the country over the last 5 games of last season and only just missed out on play offs.

Is it because the club has announced feck all players? Longford appear to have kept the bulk of last year and have added quite a few as well.

[legendz]

Out of interest why have so many of you got Longford Bottom? This is a team who had the best form in the country over the last 5 games of last season and only just missed out on play offs.

Is it because the club has announced feck all players? Longford appear to have kept the bulk of last year and have added quite a few as well.

I haven't written off Longford. Not yet anyway. Longford have had a strong finish to the last two seasons. Similar to the Longford 800m runner!

4. UCD 4.36
5. Wexford 5.50
6. Kerry 5.29
7. Finn Harps 7.50

Kerry 5.29 below Wexford 5.50?

[legendz]

First Division 2026 predictions:
1. Cork City
2. Bray Wanderers
3. Cobh Ramblers
4. UCD
5. Kerry
6. Wexford
7. Longford Town
8. Finn Harps
9. Athlone Town
10. Treaty United

1. Cork - runaway winners. Should be able to target another Cup final in the second half of the season.
2. Bray - if they maintain their form from last year, they should finish comfortably inside the playoffs.
3. Cobh - an odd end of year last year for a club who pushed Dundalk for so long. If they can maintain similar levels to the majority of the year, they should finish comfortably inside the playoffs as well.
4. UCD - steady Eddies with 56 and 59 points respectively the last two years. Some comments elsewhere on player turnover. If they fit in seamlessly, mid 50s should be a reasonable target. Whoever is above UCD should be comfortably inside the playoffs.
5. Kerry - Teahan is a big loss. A core group of the squad have consistently failed to mount a playoff push these last two years. Hoping the bit of experience signed can bring more consistency. 26 points behind UCD last year and ended the season with an 8 game winless run. A major improvement needed to make the playoffs.
6. Wexford - interesting managerial appointment last year. SE will be determined to get Wexford into the playoffs.
7. Longford - have finished the last two years strong. If they don't run out of real estate and are more consistent throughout the season, they could very well challenge Wexford and Kerry for the final playoff spot.
8. Finn Harps - anyone outside of Cork could finish 2nd to 10th. Haven't seen enough of Harps to rate them higher. Will see over the course of the season.
9. Athlone - terrible year last year. If they improve, they might finish above Treaty.
10. Treaty - Limerick football is in a bad place. Treaty failing miserably to represent the Midwest region. A positive will be that National League clubs aren't holding a licence to challenge them in a playoff.

[pineapple stu]

Out of interest why have so many of you got Longford Bottom? This is a team who had the best form in the country over the last 5 games of last season and only just missed out on play offs.

Is it because the club has announced feck all players? Longford appear to have kept the bulk of last year and have added quite a few as well.

I suppose someone has to finish bottom and there's no obvious basket case this year.

[total hoofball]

Out of interest why have so many of you got Longford Bottom? This is a team who had the best form in the country over the last 5 games of last season and only just missed out on play offs. Is it because the club has announced feck all players? Longford appear to have kept the bulk of last year and have added quite a few as well.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Longford appear have had a decent amount of regular starters from last season who have departed: Halwax, Hand, Norris, O'Shea, Spain, Topcu, Yoro. Then some are seeing you sign players from Athlone who stunk up the division last season and some other inexperienced players. I went with 7th for Longford but as I said on my predictions appears to be much of a muchness between many of the teams outside of Cork

[Buckett]

I'm really looking forward to a time when the third tier is established and there's relegation from the First Division. I think it will make a huge difference to the quality and competitiveness of the division.

[MoydowMonty]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Longford appear have had a decent amount of regular starters from last season who have departed: Halwax, Hand, Norris, O'Shea, Spain, Topcu, Yoro. Then some are seeing you sign players from Athlone who stunk up the division last season and some other inexperienced players. I went with 7th for Longford but as I said on my predictions appears to be much of a muchness between many of the teams outside of Cork

I'd argue the only real losses from that lot are O'Shea, Hand and maybe Topcu. Halwax was long dropped before the end when we went on the good run. Norris hadn't the same impact he had in 2024. Spain and Yoro I don't rate. I take your point about the lads from Athlone alright, I've the same concerns. But we've kept a good core of last season's squad and more of the key players than I expected, as well as offloading a bit of (but not all) the dead weight. I'm surprised everyone has Town down as bottom 2 in their predictions, I'm expecting to at least be in the hunt for 5th throughout the season.