In this post, you can find our League of Ireland tips and predictions along with our weekly acca ahead of the opening weekend of the LOI Premier Division season.
It’s that time of the week, year again! “The Greatest League in the World” is back to light up your Friday Nights and weekends! This promises to be as compelling as ever, with Damien Duff’s Shelbourne side looking to retain their 2024 Premier Division success.
LOI Friday Night #13 Acca Selections
Bohemians vs Shelbourne - Shelbourne – 2/1
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Cork City – Over 2.5 Goals - 3/4
Waterford vs Shamrock Rovers – Away Goals Over 1.5 – 7/10
Drogheda United vs Derry City – Derry City 1 Goal Ahead – 8/11
Galway United vs Sligo Rovers - Sligo Rovers or Draw – 11/10
An accumulator with these selections pays at approximately 31/1 with BoyleSports.
Bohemians vs Shelbourne – Friday 7.45 pm, Virgin Media 2
Odds
Bohemians – 5/4
Shelbourne – 2/1
Draw – 21/10
Preview
Bohemians continue to climb the Premier Division table, but where does the club’s ceiling stand in 2025? Following their 0-1 win over Sligo Rovers last Saturday and the first league game for high-profile signing Lys Mousset, they sit in 4th place, 15 games into the season and yet to have drawn a game. Alan Reynolds seems to now be vindicating the trust of the Bohs board, though they know, given the tight nature of the league, he needs another positive result on Friday Night.
Shelbourne’s “struggles” this season have in part been down to their uncharacteristic defensive struggles, going from conceding 27 goals across their 36 matches last season, 14 games into the new season, and they have already conceded 16. They earned a crucial win last Friday Night, though, following the 90th-minute winner from Kerr McInroy against St Patrik’s Athletic.
Prediction: Bohemians 0-1 Shelbourne
Bohs may be bouncing, but I still think Shelbourne, if at anywhere near their best, should be too good for the home team.
Best Bet: Shelbourne – 2/1
*Odds are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
St Patrick’s Athletic vs Cork City – Friday 7.45 pm, LOI TV
Odds
St Patrick’s Athletic - 2/5
Cork City - 11/2
Draw – 16/5
Preview
Stephen Kenny might be under pressure for the first time in his St Patrick’s Athletic tenure following 3 defeats in their last 4 league games. However, in this game they may have the perfect one to return to winning ways having gone unbeaten in their last 15 matches against Cork City and have won 3 of the last 3 games between both sides, their last head-to-head defeat came April 2018 when Graham Cummins goal was the difference in a 1-0 defeat.
As if things weren’t more difficult for Cork City, following their 1-2 defeat against Derry City last weekend, mere minutes afterwards, Tim Clancy voluntarily stepped down from his position as manager. His subsequent comments following his resignation suggest strongly that he had not received the backing from the ownership that he deemed desirable enough to get the results required. With the club now second-from-bottom and the popular opinion likely being favourable towards those Clancy thoughts, it will be interesting to see what sort of candidate the role will now attract.
Prediction: St Patrick’s Athletic 3-0 Cork City
The perfect game for Pat’s to bounce back with another convincing win against Cork City.
Best Bet: Over 2.5 Goals - 3/4
*Odds are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Waterford vs Shamrock Rovers – Friday 7.45 pm, LOI TV
Odds
Waterford – 9/2
Shamrock Rovers - 11/20
Draw - 11/4
Preview
A few weeks ago, Waterford looked to have a relegation battle ahead of them for the 2025 season, but they now sit only 5 points off the top of the table after a remarkable run of four consecutive victories, which has them in the form side in the league. New manager John Coleman continued that run in his first game in charge last Friday Night with a 1-0 win over Galway United.
Shamrock Rovers find themselves back top of the pile in the Premier Division following their dominant 3-0 win over Drogheda last weekend. Ironically, it looked like the first time that they played close to their peak since their European Run ended. There’s a nice blend of both youth and experience in their squad, and if they can add a striker in the summer, another title could be on the cards for 2025.
Prediction: Waterford 0-2 Shamrock Rovers
Two sides who will come into this game feeling positive, but Rovers should be that bit stronger.
Best Bet : Away Goals Over 1.5 – 7/10
*Odds are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Drogheda vs Derry City– Friday 7.45 pm, LOI TV
Odds
Drogheda - 11/5
Derry City - 5/4
Draw - 2/1
Preview
Drogheda were finally knocked off their perch last weekend at the top of the table, but that defeat also means they have only 1 win in their last five league games, with that coming narrowly against relegation battlers Cork City 3-2. It’ll be interesting to see how Kevin Doherty’s side adapts in the next few games and to see whether they can maintain momentum to stay more toward the top of the table than the bottom.
Derry City invested heavily in their playing squad during the off-season and though their start was “questionable” Tiernan Lynch now seems to be getting a tune out of his relatively expensive squad with 4 wins in their last 5 games to put them 2nd on the table and only behind Shamrock Rovers by goal difference albeit one of +7.
Prediction: Drogheda 0-1 Derry City
This will be a huge test for both sides to see where they’re in their progressions. I could see both cancelling one another out, but Derry City may just edge it with their considerable experience.
Best Bet: Derry City 1 Goal Ahead – 8/11
*Odds are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Galway United vs Sligo Rovers – Friday 7.45 pm, LOI TV
Odds
Galway United – 4/6
Sligo Rovers - 10/3
Draw – 11/4
Preview
In the space of a few weeks, Galway United have gone from high-flying and on course for another promising season, to a torrid few weeks, following three consecutive defeats to put them into 8th place, albeit 8 points ahead of Cork City immediately above them. Like the nature of the league, their games have been tight too, with 19 goals and 19 conceded. It's too early to say how their season could go, though they should be safe, you would think.
Sligo Rovers are rock bottom of the Premier Division with 9 points from their opening 15 games of the season and currently trail Cork City immediately above them by 3 points. This is a young Sligo Rovers side which has plenty of learning to do and fast if they’re to stay in the division. However, the performances of those young stars like Owen Elding mean they still have every chance of getting off the bottom of the table.
Prediction: Galway United 1-1 Sligo Rovers
These are usually tight games, and I can see Sligo Rovers getting something from the game.
Best Bet : Sligo Rovers or Draw – 11/10
*Odds are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
*Prices are subject to fluctuation
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