Where's the Banana skin?

Ah, a cup weekend. Splendid stuff. A live game on tv, a couple of potential banana-skins for the Premier sides and of course this being the League of Ireland...an uneven number teams left in the competition. Magnificent!

Let the analysis commence.

Shamrock Rovers v Bohemians
The potential for special markets on this could be mind boggling...'Pitch Incursions In-Running', 'First Dismembered Animal to Appear on Playing Field', 'First Player to be Struck with an Object from the Stands'.

On the pitch however, this game has a particularly Gypsy looking slant to it. A heap of Rovers players are cup tied here, effectively meaning that Pat Scully will be fielding 6 or so second string players.

Bohs have more experience, are coming off the back of a great win against Shels and of course Farrelly knows that his job may indeed depend on this result. I'm backing Bohs for small money.

9/4 Shamrock Rovers
2/1 Draw
11/10 Bohemians


Waterford Utd v Longford Town
Like Rovers, the Blues are similarly affected by the frustration of having several key players cup tied. In short Waterford will be without virtually every player who gave them hope of putting a shred of credibility into their campaign.

Longford are old hands at the cup competitions and will raise their game here - though they shouldn't need to raise it that much to progress. Longford are the weekend bankers.

4/1 Waterford United
12/5 Draw
8/13 Longford Town

Finn Harps v Athlone Town
A tricky game to call, simply because it's difficult to predict which Athlone Town will turn up. They are a hugely frustrating outfit, sometimes showing the ability to compete with the top teams in the first division and then getting tonked by bottom half teams.

The Donegal side are on a great run however and won this fixture in the league 2-0 just a month ago. I'm sitting this dance out.


8/11 Finn Harps
9/4 Draw
10/3 Athlone Town

Sligo Rovers v Bray Wanderers
This pair met in the league last weekend and Sligo were our banker bet. They obliged. Nothing has changed. Sligo again.

1/3 Sligo Rovers
3/1 Draw
15/2 Bray Wanderers


St Patrick's Athletic v Dundalk
This game brings back memories of my childhood watching this duo battle it out for league titles. Much has changed since then - particularly at Oriel Park as they find themselves in the league's second tier. However John Gill's men have found some consistency and are putting in a very strong challenge for the title at the moment.

On the other hand, the sparkle has faded at Saint Pats. As we mentioned last week, they are struggling to score and their weekend 0-0 shutout with Longford only emphasises the point.

This is perhaps the banana skin. 10/3 Dundalk is a value bet for small money.

8/11 St Patrick's Athletic
9/4 Draw
10/3 Dundalk



UCD v Limerick
The wheels are off at Limerick: three injured goalkeepers and no manager. Key player Tommy Barrett now steps between the posts. In early July The Shannonsiders beat Shamrock Rovers twice within a week but have shockingly failed to win a match in eight outings since then.

It looks a formality for Pete Mahon's UCD side, but goals don't come easy for the Students. 2 goals in 6 games is a poor return. This is the cup, strange things happen, I wouldn't have the nerve to oppose a team with no goalkeeper and no manager in a cup match - make up your own mind on it!

8/15 UCD
5/2 Draw
9/2 Limerick


Shelbourne v Derry City
A humdinger of a game as the top two in the betting to win the cup outright come face to face. Whoever wins this game could well be on course for a double (or a treble for Shels!). Derry were cruelly defeated by a late goal in their last trip to Tolka Park, they played the more adventurous football on the night and really deserved something from the game. It will be interesting to see if Stephen Kenny plays it a little cagier on Sunday or whether his side's attacking instincts simply know no bounds.

Shels come in to this tie having had their fantastic run of wins come to a stunning end at Dalymount Park last weekend when beaten by Bohs. In true Shelbourne fashion they are trying to claim those points back off the pitch though! I don't see any value in taking the short price on Shels. The draw looks a real possibility but in sympathy with Derry's all out attack, a small interest in Derry to win is the selection.

6/5 Shelbourne
11/5 Draw
15/8 Derry City

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Sweet as Candystripes

Cork City v Derry City

A renewal of last year's title deciding game where Derry were pipped at the post. Derry's cup challenge also came unstuck at Cork last year and so Stephen Kenny's men have scores to settle.

Cork are unconvincing without John O'Flynn. They are also missing Joe Gamble tonight, and Softic is no replacement for O'Callaghan in my opinion.

Derry are missing a few players also, but they have better cover. I'm taking Derry here.

Cork 11/8
Draw 2/1
Derry 7/4



Bohemians v Shelbourne

The wounds from the 'Battle of Tolka' where Bohs had two men sent off have barely had time to seal before these two near neighbours are pitted together again. Bohs played with plenty of moxy that night - far more than Shels liked as the Reds accused the Gypsies of playing beyond the rules of the game.

Bohs will need more than a tough physical presence to trouble Shels tonight though. Fenlon's men are playing with a resilience to match their flair as the character building comeback against Cork showed.

Even with Bohs over 3/1 at home, I can't be convinced to back them. Shels for me.


Bohs 10/3
Draw 9/4
Shels 8/11





Sligo Rovers v Bray Wanderers

Bray were properly tonked by Bohs last weekend and now they are forced to field a further weakened team against Sligo. This game is banker material. Sligo are getting better, Bray are getting worse!

Sligo 4/11
Draw 11/4
Bray 15/2



St Patrick's Athletic v Longford Town

Pats aren't the kind of side you want to be backing at odds on at the moment. They have been consistently inconsistent since the World Cup. The goals have dried up a little and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games - including a 2-0 reversal against tonight's opponents a month ago.

Here's an Osamism for you: "Longford could win, lose or draw any game". I believe it to be true, you can't write them in or out against anyone. You can see this one coming can't you.....DRAW!


St Patrick's 10/11
Draw 9/4
Longford Town 5/2




Waterford Utd v Drogheda Utd

Drogheda need to start scoring if they are to mount a title challenge. They won't get many better chances to shoot than against the Blues. Fabio may make an appearance and point the way to goal to his team mates.

Lots of new signings at the RSC, but they'll doubtless need a few games to get organized. I don't see their first win of the season happening tonight.

Waterford 6/1
Draw 13/5
Drogheda 4/9



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Shels vintage to be Corked

Shelbourne v Cork City

The glamour clash of the weekend is the one El Punter and also Sniffer will be taking in on Friday night. It's an irresistible fixture with enough subplots to offer a tale of Shakespearean proportions.

Pat Fenlon's men are in the process of pissing away with the league title as they build up a lead reminiscent of Walter Swinburn's on Shergar in the '81 Derby. The rumored dissolution of the squad during the transfer window never materialized and Joseph Ndo has been playing football that many would say belongs to a different league.

The goals have been avalanching past opposition defences, with Pats, Sligo and Drogheda all conceding three goals, not to mention the eleven accumulated against Waterford and UCD. Patches don't get any more purple than this.

And so enter Cork City. Trouble in the camp. Tonked in Europe. Listening to 'I told you the squad was too small' from every corner of the league.

They're are stubborn lot in Cork, they've something to prove at Tolka. They don't score enough goals. They dropped points at Waterford. It's not looking good.

Some bookies are as short as 8/13 on Shels winning. A look at the recent form might suggest Shels are favourites as hot as the Red Shels by the Sea-shore we've been listening to post-victory at Tolka recently.

All the value here is in Cork however. Gamble will be back to shore things up in the midfield. It's almost a Cup Final for the Leesiders as failure to win will see a big chance at silverware pass them by. A modest stake on Cork is the recommendation.

Shels 4/5
Draw 2/1
Cork City 7/2



Bray Wanderers v Bohemians

It's been a difficult season for Bray. They've now lost arguably their three most recognizable faces in Eamon Zayed, Pat Devlin and Wesley Charles. But a new name has been catching the attention of league watchers as the wily Romanian Andri Georgescu has been flummoxing defences with his brand of attacking tricks.

The Wanderers responded in the best manner possible when they found themselves three goals down to Derry last week. Apparently Eddie Gormley gave it the hair-dryer treatment at half time and Bray came out to pull two back.

Bohs are now third from bottom, two 1-0 wins have been followed by two 1-0 defeats (one in the league cup). Losing at home to Longford isn't really acceptable for the Gypsies. Paul Devlin has offered some endeavor up front since arriving, but Shane Ward and Vinny Arkins have been largely disappointing so far this season.

The visitors will have their work cut out against a Bray team that looks to have an improved attitude. Again I'm keeping a watching brief.

Bray 7/4
Draw 9/4
Bohs 5/4




Longford Town v UCD

The students head to Flancare on the back of an improbable 1-0 road victory in Sligo. This game could be a hard one for the purists. Expect low scoring, and perhaps a draw. These teams drew 2-2 at Belfield just over a month ago and since then Longford have put a decent run together if you overlook two somewhat inevitable defeats suffered against Cork and Derry.

Longford 11/10
Draw 2/1
UCD 9/4




Derry City v St Patrick's Athletic

I wonder just how professional Derry will have been after Thursday night's fantastic victory? The players certainly deserved to let their hair down and all should be back to pace of things by Sunday evening. Derry are irresistible at home - and increasingly so away from the Brandywell also! I can't see Pats - who haven't played in three weeks - causing them too many problems here. Home win.



Derry City 4/7
Draw 12/5
St Pats 9/2



Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers

You have to go back to the 7th July since Drogheda won a league match, they've since dropped points to UCD, Longford and were convincingly beaten by Shelbourne. Zayed has yet to hit form, Fitzpatrick has yet to master the first touch and Fabio's jaw has yet to heal. It's gone a little flat at United Park.

Sligo on the other hand are the moxy-most team in the league, but they are in a slump at the moment too. It'll be interesting to see how they respond to the back to back defeats by UCD and Shels. Their much talked of weak away form has certainly improved with three wins from their last five trips from the west - albeit assisted by assignments to Bray, Waterford and Bohs.

It's a pretty non-committal week for El Punter, and I'm not going to play here either. 'You gotta know when to hold 'em' as Kenny Rogers oft sang.


Drogheda 8/11
Draw 9/4
Sligo Rvs 10/3

Taking the Longview

Time for a little ganderoo at the state of play in the title race folks.

Shels impressive surge to the summit of the top premier division inspired by the imperious Joey Ndo has seen them tip in to odds-on territory to regain the championship title.

They are now 1/2 at Stan James as they sit two points clear of closest rivals Derry City - who have a game in hand. It is of course Shels blistering form rather than their narrow points lead which has them at such prohibitive odds. However when you consider they have scored 12 more league goals than any of their competitors this season the short price makes more sense.

Derry and Cork are next in the betting, both on offer at 4/1. The Brandywell side are clearly a value option at this price, they have done absolutely nothing to suggest that they are not capable of winning the league. In fact only a sickening defeat at Tolka Park has them below Shels in the table. Kenny's men were pipped at the post last year and unlike Cork have continued to improve their side since then.

Cork are 8 points adrift of Shels, and with their failure to improve the squad significantly during the transfer window I don't see how they can turn it around. They badly need a win at Tolka this weekend. Shels have scored almost 3 times as many goals as Cork in the league this season. Need I continue?

Doolo's Drogs have hit a period of adverse form. Shipping three goals at home to Shels recently will have been a big kick in the goolies to a team which has built it's title ambitions on a watertight defence. Their inability to put Longford to the sword recently despite having several chances does nothing to contradict the school of thought which says that Drogheda simply can not score enough goals to win the league. Anyone who cares to disagree can take the 7/1 on offer.

Shelbourne 1/2
Derry City 4/1
Cork City 4/1
Drogheda United 7/1