LOI Premier Division Odds, Tips & Weekly Acca – Friday Night #5

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 #5Acca Selections

St Patrick’s Athletic vs Bohemians - Best Bet: BTTS + St Patrick’s Athletic Win @ 11/4

Shelbourne vs Cork City - Under 2.5 Total Goals @ 4/7

Drogheda vs Shamrock Rovers – Drogheda 1 Goal Ahead @ 7/5

Galway United vs Waterford –  Waterford 1 Goal Ahead @ 6/4

Sligo Rovers vs Derry City - Sligo Rovers or Draw @ 20/23

An accumulator with these selections pays at approximately 65/1 with BoyleSports.

St Patrick’s Athletic v Bohemians– Friday 7.45 pm,  Virgin Media 2

Odds

St Patrick’s Athletic @ 3/4

Bohemians @ 3/1

Draw @ 5/2

Preview

Expectations are high for former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny and his squad in 2025 with them being many people’s pre-season favourites for the Premier Division. We’re no five game weeks into the season and it’s been a mixed bag of results with their seven-point total currently putting them fifth in the league. Last weekend they came out on the wrong side albeit narrowly losing to Shamrock Rovers 1-0 in a Dublin Derby. There’s a lot of talent in the squad and it seems only a matter of time before they click.

Bohemians had an extremely positive off-season with plenty highlighting what on paper looked like strong recruitment. That was followed by a 1-0 win over Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium it looked like 2025 would be far more positive for the club. Things change fast in football though and three consecutive defeats followed which had people panicking fast. However, they bounced back last Friday Night with a convincing 0-3 win over Waterford.

Prediction St Patrick’s Athletic 2-1 Bohemians

This’ll be a huge early season litmus test and a win for either would be huge, I think there will be a few goals with Pat’s narrowly getting the better of Bohs.

Best Bet: BTTS + St Patrick’s Athletic Win @ 11/4

Shelbourne v Cork City– Friday 7.45 pm,  LOI TV

Odds

Shelbourne @ 8/13

Cork City @ 9/2

Draw @ 12/5

Preview

The 2024 Premier Division Champions, defied expectations to win the title on the final day of last season but defending a title as well as having to manage European commitments in the summer is a different test. During the summer relatively high profile signings of Ireland underage international Odubeko and Norris on loan from Liverpool looked shrewd on paper. They opened with an impressive Presidents Cup showing against Drogheda and opening night battering of Derry City, though their latest loss 0-1 to Drogheda was disappointing.

Cork City have had a solid start to life in the Premier Division, five points, six goals scored, and six goals conceded would’ve been a start to their season most involved in the club would have taken at the start of the season. However, had it not been for some questionable refereeing in their last couple of matches including in their 1-1 draw against Sligo Rovers last time out at Turners Cross they could be considerably higher in the table.

Prediction: Shelbourne 2-0 Cork City

Both sides would be disappointed with their results from last weekend and for different reasons, but I think Shelbourne will get the better of Cork City on this occasion.

Best Bet: Under 2.5 Total Goals @ 4/7

Drogheda v Shamrock Rovers – Friday 7.45 pm,  LOI TV

Odds

Drogheda @ 3/1

Shamrock Rovers @ 20/23

Draw @ 23/10

Preview

Drogheda headed into the 2025 season looking to again defy expectations in avoiding relegation from the 2025 Premier Division, along with the bonus of having European Football to look forward to come the summer. Though they were convincingly beaten by Shelbourne 2-0 in the Presidents’ Cup since the dawn of the league their form has been brilliant and their 0-1 win over the same opponents last weekend means they currently lead the league with eleven points from their opening five games.

Recent weeks for Shamrock Rovers’ have been less than ideal to say the least, being knocked out of the Conference League, losing the Dublin Derby at the Aviva and only winning a point from their opening three league games. That point tally was improved considerably last Friday Night though when their 1-0 win over Pat’s brought them up to eighth in the division albeit only on goal difference.

Prediction: Drogheda 1-1 Shamrock Rovers

Drogheda are flying and Rovers’ despite their win last weekend need a few more to take the early season pressure off them. I can see this being a scored draw at the weekend though with both sides cancelling each other out.

Best Bet: Drogheda 1 Goal Ahead @ 7/5

Galway United v Waterford– Friday 7.45 pm, LOI TV

Odds

Galway United @ 3/4

Waterford @ 16/5

Draw @ 23/10

Preview

Galway are an extremely effective side, while not the most aesthetically pleasing their no thrills, robust and somewhat throwback style of route one football has done them the world of good in recent seasons with their physicality and fitness on a different level to most sides in the country. Their opening record of four draws and one encapsulates their tough-to-beat nature perfectly, while unimpressive last weekend against Derry City they still pulled out a draw.

Waterford had an excellent start to their Premier Division season with nine points from their opening four league games meaning they topped the pile at the early stage of the season. That was until last weekend when they fell to a 0-3 defeat against Bohemians’ and though that result was less than desirable there is a lot to like about the squad Keith Long has assembled.

Prediction: Galway United 1-1 Waterford

Between management teams and players, few sides know one another better than these two and I think they might cancel each other out on Friday Night.

Best Bet : Waterford 1 Goal Ahead @ 6/4

Sligo Rovers v Derry City– Saturday 7.45 pm,  LOI TV

Odds                                                                                         

Sligo Rovers @ 11/4

Derry City @ 5/6

Draw @ 5/2

Preview

Sligo Rovers are a well-run community club, who constantly overperform based on the resources they’re given which is a credit to both John Russell and his squad. With the help of a subject refereeing performance against Cork City last weekend they earned a 1-1 draw to end their three consecutive loss run with four points from their last two games.

Derry City’s transfer window brought about plenty of debate, on one hand, they invested heavily in their playing budget with the relatively high-profile acquisitions of Holt (32), Winchester (31), Boyce (33), Whyte (28) and Cann (21). However, the age profile and the perceived short-term nature of them drew plenty of raised eyebrows. They’ve opened their season with four defeats and only one win though which sees them bottom of the Premier Division table.

Prediction: Sligo Rovers 1-0 Derry City

Two sides with contrasting expectations for 2025 but identical records from their first five league games. I think Sligo Rovers might pull another result out of their sleeve though.

Best Bet: Sligo Rovers or Draw @ 20/23

*Prices are subject to fluctuation

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