Two correct results, albeit only one correct score from the opening week of League of Ireland football - I’d like to believe storm Dennis had a large part to play in that.
Hopefully, the weather will allow for a bit more free-flowing football across the country this week as we end week two of the Premier Division season.
Finn Harps came out on top of the first North-West derby last week, they don’t have far to travel this week either with another derby match against Derry City in the Brandywell.
Sligo Rovers vs St Patrick’s Athletic
Two sides who come into this game having lost the opening game of the season and looking to bounce back.
Home advantage here can’t be underestimated, it isn’t easy making the trip up to the windy North-West in February.
It’s hard to read too much into the opening game of the season because of the weather conditions. Sligo Rovers also had one of the toughest grounds to go to at any time of year.
While St Pat’s looked to have played quite well in their 1-0 loss to Waterford in Richmond Park, things just didn’t quite click for them.
On paper, you’d fancy Stephen O’Donnell’s men in this tie, but considering Sligo’s home advantage into account it could be deadlocked.
Prediction: Sligo Rovers 1-1 St Patrick’s Athletic
Shelbourne vs Dundalk
It wasn’t pretty, but as predicted new-boys Shelbourne kicked off their first campaign in the Premier Division in seven years with a massive win away to Cork.
It was former Dundalk man Ciaran Kilduff who got the only goal in Turner’s Cross on the night and if they are to get anything from this game, they’ll have to rely massively on that experience within their side.
Dundalk got their title defence off to a winning start with an important home win to Derry City.
That was the first opening game in three years that the title-favourites have won and after the game manager Vinny Perth was pleased with the result if not the performance.
He also mentioned after the game that players like Gregg Sloggart and Cammy Smith were a little off the pace due to the postponement of the President’s Cup.
It feels like Dundalk have dusted off some cobwebs last week and will come out firing in this fixture.
Prediction: Shelbourne 0-2 Dundalk
Derry City vs Finn Harps
It’s a return to the Brandywell for former Derry City captain Barry McNamee as Finn Harps face their second derby match in as many weeks.
McNamee - who came off the bench in Harps’ opening day win over Sligo Rovers - said during the week that at he ‘went through the paces’ at Derry City last year.
There will be no space for that this week in a derby match that has thrown up some feisty fixtures of late.
Last year, former Finn Harps captain Ciaran Coll, who had made the switch across to the Brandywell was met with a horrific challenge in the opening minutes.
The odds will be firmly stacked in Derry’s favour for this clash though, they’ve won four of the last five in this fixture with the four wins coming at home.
I suspect it may be something similar this time around.
Prediction: Derry City 3-1 Finn Harps
Waterford vs Bohemians
After all the positivity going into the game surrounding ticket sales, the away jersey and the general state of the club, the Dublin Derby couldn’t have gone much worse for Bohemians.
A lot of it, admittedly, was completely out of control of the club. The storm meant the game couldn’t be televised, the rain ruined the pitch and mindless idiots ruined the day entirely with their scraps on the streets afterwards.
On the pitch, the rain and wind made an absolute hames of the quality on show. It would be unfair to be overly critical of the Bohs performance overall. However, the defending for the only goal of the game was poor.
Waterford pulled off a surprise win against St Pat’s. Some might say the home side gifted them the goal the Waterford players have to be given credit for the way they pressed the St Pat’s defence into making the mistake.
Overall, it was a fine display from Alan Reynold’s side, without pulling up any branches.
This is a tough one to call, so I’m going to sit on the fence.
Prediction: Waterford FC 1-1 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers vs Cork
It’s crazy to think that just a few short years ago Cork City were the challengers for the title.
The club has fallen so far in such a short period of time that one could be fooled into thinking they were the new kids on the block against Shelbourne last weekend.
That defeat has got to hurt for Neal Fenn and it doesn’t get much easier this week as they travel to the new title-challengers in Tallaght.
It was scrappy, and the winner came later but it’s hard to quantify how much confidence Stephen Bradley’s side will take from their Dublin Derby win last week.
They started brightly last year and it looks like they’re going to do the same again this week.
One of the more straight forward games - on paper at least - this weekend. Cue Cork’s demolition of Rovers.
Prediction: Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Cork City
Last week’s predictions
Prediction: St Pat’s 2-0 Waterford - Result St Pat’s 0-1 Waterford
Prediction: Cork City 1-2 Shelbourne - Result: Cork City 0-1 Shelbourne
Prediction: Dundalk 2-2 Derry City - Result: Dundalk 1-0 Derry City
Prediction: Finn Harps 1-0 Sligo Rover - Result: Finn Harps 1-0 Sligo Rovers
Prediction: Bohemians 1-1 Shamrock Rovers- Result: Bohemians 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
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