After another pulsating season in 2024/25, Shamrock Rovers reclaimed their hold at the top of the Irish football period with their fifth league title in six years, with Shelbourne being the only team to partially interrupt their dominance.
Going into the new season they were looking to go back-to-back once again. The likes of Shelbourne, Derry City, Bohemians and St. Patrick’s Athletic will be looking towards the top of the table and trying to take that next step to challenge for the league title, where Waterford, Galway and Dundalk be looking to avoid the drop. The most interesting cases are Drogheda United and Sligo Rovers.
Both sides probably sit just outside the best in the league but also don’t seem to be in much danger of going down. All of this is just speculation before the season of course, with this league always guaranteed to give us a surprise or two throughout the course of the season.
Rovers were back to their best last season and have managed to strengthen their ranks once again. The signing of Jay Mulraney from Dublin rivals St. Pat’s was a massive coup and after seemingly mended bridges, one of the league’s best talents, Jack Byrne will return to Tallaght after a loan spell with Dubai Irish for the second half of last season.
Their attacking third is already the most frightening in the league and securing the return of Naj Razi after he left Como gives them another dangerous winger, who will be looking to prove people wrong who have begun to doubt if he can make it at the top level.
A player who proved long ago that he belonged at the top level is Enda Stevens. We have seen a lot of players return home after a stint in England or elsewhere but not many of them have represented their country 26 times. Stevens left Rovers after a fantastic 2010-11 season and has been plying his trade throughout the English football pyramid, most notably with Sheffield United, ever since. In returning to the hoops, he offers class, leadership and experience that he can use to guide the various young talents littered around the squad and guide the Dubliners through another European adventure.
Another massive boost for Stephen Bradley’s men was being able to retain their star boy Michael Noonan. With interest for the young hit man littered all around Europe, it seemed that Hoffenheim were about to secure the signature of the 17-year-old but the deal fell through. This might be the last time we see him playing in the League of Ireland for a long, long time so it will be interesting to see what Bradley can squeeze out of him before he inevitably jets off to a bigger and better standard.
Derry have been one of the best sides in the league over the last couple of years but still haven’t managed to get back to the very top and win their third ever Premier Division title, having last won the competition in 1996/97 season. Their summer signings highlight their intent and determination for this season to be one they finally get their hands on that illusive league trophy.
Their marquee signing has come in the form of hometown hero and one of Ireland’s most beloved players, James McClean. The Candystripes also have Conference League qualification to look forward to, but their main focus will be on the league for the time being. After a promising win in the President’s Cup against the champions, they will look to keep this form going after an opening day 2-1 win against Sligo.
Tiernan Lynch will be looking to have a red-hot start to the season this year after his men only collected four points from the opening 15 and they would have to wonder whether a better start would have meant they could have gotten the better of Rovers come the end of the year. To me, I think this could be their year.
Although they lost last season’s top scorer Pat Hoban, the signings of McClean and Darragh Markey will ensure they have enough to provide for the likes of Dipo Akinyemi, Liam Boyce, and Josh Thomas who will be relishing in the chances that the quality of those in behind them can produce. Their defence remains resolute and with the best goalkeeper in the league between the sticks, anything but a league title will be a disappointment.
Bohs fans enjoyed a rollercoaster season over the last term. Over the first ten games they looked to be in for a dire season, suffering six losses. They then discovered the knack of scoring late goals and had a brief flirtation with the title race. Overall, it ended up being a successful season as they secured fourth place and a long-awaited return of European football after a five-year absence.
In recent times it seems that the Gypsies expectations for the year ahead are up in the air as the new season commences. Alan Reynolds squad has lost some club stalwarts over the summer in Keith Buckley, James Talbot, Rob Cornwall and James Clarke. The main worries for the season centre around losing so many big characters for the dressing room but maybe Reynolds is ushering in the new group of leaders in the squad. Dawson Devoy and Ross Tierney are now in their mid-twenties and entering the prime of their careers.
Having already been integral members of the team for the last couple of years, it’s now time they step up and become the main leaders in the dressing room and on the pitch. Two fantastic players who ooze quality and have played across the UK, it’s their time to push Bohs on to the next level. They have the perfect combination of goals, tackles, carrying the ball forward, retaining possession, eye for a pass and having highlighted themselves as two of the best around the league, this could be the year they cement themselves at the top of the pile.
Their recruitment may not have been as flashy as others but the signings of Sadou Diallo and Patrick Hickey provides depth with LOI experience and bringing in Ireland underage internationals Harry Vaughan and Senan Mullen gives a boost of quality, energy and more youth to develop. The competition for them European spots has also strengthened around them and with no guarantees of a fourth placed finish enough to guarantee qualification for the Conference League again this year, it could be a tough year for the Phibsborough outfit to retain European competition.
Following the dramatic League title win in 2024, Shels were always going to find it hard to challenge for another league title last time out. Although it wasn’t a complete fall from grace and they ended up in third place, giving their fans another chance at a European adventure. After finishing 34th out of 36 teams in the European Conference League, their only points coming off the back of two draws, they will be looking to take a step forward and put a dent in the win column.
For the upcoming league campaign, another top four finish is the minimum requirement. They have an intriguing squad going into the season, with most players sitting around their mid-20’s with the experience of Paddy Barrett and Sean Gannon, who were immense last season, still leading the pack. Odhran Casey, Rodrigo Freitas and Will Jarvis are three signings that will excite the Auld Reds faithful and will add some more hunger and energy to their ranks. Casey is an u21 Northern Ireland international and has been a standout for Cliftonville over the last few seasons, adding more quality and depth to a defence that conceded the third least number of goals in the league last year.
Freitas is a somewhat unknown signing. He joins from Varzim S.C in the Portuguese third division, where he managed six goals and two assists last year. It will be interesting to see how he fairs under the Friday night lights of Tolka Park but is definitely someone who the fans will be looking forward to seeing.
The return of fan favourite Will Jarvis was a massive boost to the side. Having spent the 2023 and 2024 season in North Dublin, he spent last year plying his trade with Notts County before making his permanent return to Tolka. He notched 8 goals in 25 games the last time he wore red and will add some well welcomed attacking threat and prowess to the side. The Reds also boast a few fantastic players in the centre of midfield. Last years player of the year Kerr McInroy quickly became a mainstay for the North Dublin outfit and his control of the game, being the starting point of many of Shels attacking moves led to numerous assists and four goals last season.
Another player who could well make himself a mainstay in the middle of the park is Jack Henry Francis. The former Arsenal academy graduate likes to get forward at every given opportunity and impressed in Shels opening weekend draw against Waterford and many expect this year to be the one where he kicks on and shows his class after only managing eight appearances last year. Expect him to have a big say this season and they will need him to be at his best if this squad are to try replicate the heroics of 2024.
St. Pat’s are up next, and it ended up being a disappointing domestic campaign for the Dublin 8 outfit in the 2024/25 season. They finished outside the European qualification spots in the league and were put to the sword by Cork City in the FAI Cup semi-final in a shock 3-0 loss. Europe was where they impressed most. They beat FC Hegelmann from Lithuania and Kalju from Estonia in their opening matches but were ultimately dumped from the competition by Turkish giants Besiktas. So, heading into this new campaign, the Saints have something to prove.
Stephen Kenny’s squad will have reduced in size based on the fact they won’t be setting off on another European adventure this year, but as we saw at Dundalk, Kenny often thrived with a smaller squad, so the Saints supporters will be hoping he can replicate some of his magic from his trophy-laden stint in Louth. The biggest challenge facing the boys from Richmond Park is replacing the attacking output of Jay Mulraney and Mason Melia. Mulraney was snapped up by Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers and Melia became LOI’s biggest ever sale when he penned his deal at Tottenham Hotspur.
Two of the Saints leading men has heaped on the pressure on former Sligo Rovers striker Max Mata. The New Zealand native impressed across two spells in Sligo which was interrupted by a stint over the Irish Sea which didn’t quite work out for him, but his experience and quality at this level will be hugely important if they are to challenge towards the top end of the table again.
Ryan Edmondson is another signing that comes to Richmond Park with big pedigree. Most recently plying his trade with Central Coast Mariners in the Australian A-League, he has also played for Leeds and Carlisle United. During his time south of the hemisphere, he won the treble in 2024 and will be looking to hit the ground running and add more medals to his back pocket.
Sligo Rovers got into a good run of form in the second half of last season to finish ten points behind sixth place Drogheda and two clear of Galway and Waterford below them. They made sure they were safe from relegation but never put a string of results together to push them higher up the table and challenge for Europe.
The Bit O’Red will be looking at last season as a marker of somewhere they don’t want to be again. They will need to start this season in better form to ensure they’re not dragged into a relegation battle. Thankfully, John Russell has built a squad that oozes LOI experience. He likes his team to play football and with the talent of players like Jad Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane, Alex Nolan and Jeannot Esua, they certainly have the talent going forward to hurt teams. They also boast a strong base with Ciaron Harkin, Carl McHugh and the returning Shane Blaney. Blaney is a massive signing for Rovers, as they conceded 54 goals last term, which was good enough for third most in the league last year. That’s the kind of stats that can drag you down the table and Blaney will be massive in ensuring that doesn’t happen.
Just as bolstering their back line was a major point of focus during the break, arguably a bigger hole that needed filling was the one left by the sensation Owen Elding. The 19-year-old swapped Sligo for Hibernian in January after a remarkable 2025 campaign which saw him net 16 times across all competitions. Unfortunately for Russell, it was always going to be an almost impossible task to keep him as other clubs came circling and it’s crucial they replace his output. Most of that pressure rests on the shoulders of Ghanian striker Mai Traore, who joins on loan from Notts County. They will need him to hit the ground running and start racking up the goals early and often, so Sligo don’t get dragged down towards the bottom of the table again.
Although Rovers have the squad to chase Europe, if they manage to go on long, sustained winning runs, I think the others chasing those spots will be too strong. I suspect a mid-table finish for the lads from The Showgrounds, and maybe a deep cup run to keep their fans satisfied.
It was a very challenging 2025 at Eamon Deacy Park in Galway, on and off the field. The unfortunate illness and passing of Assistant Manager Ollie Horgan had a profound impact across the club. In the league, they managed an eight placed finish, only staying ahead of Waterford on goal difference. Going into this season, they will have a massively updated squad with 12 new players coming into the team while 12 others have left headed for the exit door
Cork native David Hurley is a massive player for the Tribesmen and heading into what will be his sixth season at the club, he is only 24 appearances off 200 and is still a key piece of the puzzle for John Caulfield’s men. His ability to play in both deep and advanced positions in the midfield offers so much adaptability for his side and expect him to be a mainstay once again.
With so many stalwarts such as Brendan Clarke, Rob Slevin, Patrick Hickey and Vincent Borden leaving and the retirement of experienced Greg Cunningham, it was important that the signings included players who have experience in the league and can guide them through another tough season. Kris Twardek, Francely Lomboto, Evan Watts and Wasiri Williams are amongst those names and if they can hit the ground running, United could be eyeing up a mid-table finish.
However, the biggest question mark remains. Where are the goals coming from? Since the departure of Moses Dyer in 2025, they have struggled to replace his talents, and it could be something that drags them towards the lower end of the table once again.
The Drogs’ sixth place finish was probably a far cry from how some of their fans saw the season going when an incredible start to the season left them at the pinnacle by May. Some inconsistencies started to creep into their results, due to a range of reasons and were pipped at the final hurdle for a European spot. A massive disappointment in their year was being kicked out of the Europa Conference League due to issues with UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules and deadlines missed.
The Boynesiders are looking to build a squad to compete and with the vast majority of regulars from last year signing new contracts and a host of new signings makes them a force to be reckoned with. A brilliant bit of business from Kevin Doherty was bringing in former Ireland u21 international Brandon Kavanagh to bolster his midfield options. Kavanagh has spent the last few seasons with Rovers, Derry and Pats, as well as a loan move to Bray. He has shown his technical quality throughout his time in the LOI and suits his new managers brave play style to get at teams and play on the front foot.
They have also looked across the pond to the US for some new recruits to bring to United Park, including Ethan O’Brien, Jason Bucknor and Leo Burney and club legend Mark Doyle, second in their all-time goalscoring list. The re-signing of Doyle is massive for the club, the squad and the fans and he will look to pick up his former form in front of goal and fire his side into contention
Although they will be looking to break into the top echelon, it will be difficult as Rovers, Shels, Bohs and Derry all strengthening their squads, as well as Dundalk and Sligo Rovers looking to take the next step – maybe a repeat of their 2024 cup heroics will be the best way to bring them another chance in European competitions.
Waterford could count themselves lucky after last season. The remain in the premier division thanks to a Promotion/Relegation Play-Off victory against Bray Wanderers. In the upcoming season, it probably looks like another season where fighting for survival is the main goal.
A lot of the pressure rests on the shoulders of veteran bagsman Pádraig Amond. Even at 37 (38 in April) the Carlow native still knows how to put the ball in the net and lead the line. Waterford have made a few interesting signings with the likes of Conor Carty and Tommy Lonergan who will look to compliment Amond at the top end of the pitch, but they need to find the right way to keep all players happy and the best way to play them together.
Another new signing who you can expect to be an integral part of Blues squad is Luke Heeney. The Dubliner has a range of LOI experience, most notably his recent stint with Drogheda. His constant engine that never seems to falter and his willingness to protect the defence that sits behind him could be a huge part of Waterford’s push to stay up and this prowess should give the likes of Amond, Carty and Lonergan the platform to go and do what they do best.
It’s a tough season ahead at the RSC and don’t be surprised to see Waterford back in the same position they found themselves in last time out.
Dundalk managed to get straight back up to the big show after being relegated two seasons ago. They were once 10 points ahead of Cork, got dragged back into a fight but managed to keep their composure and are back to compete at the top. The main cog in that fight back was formal Ireland international Daryl Horgan and once again it was extremely important that the Lilywhite’s kept hold of their main man. His experience and evident quality will stand to them throughout the season, and they will look for him to step up throughout the season once again.
Manager Ciaran Kilduff is optimistic about the season, highlighting that most people expect them to go down so the pressure is already off his players and they can just go out and play. Perhaps that’s the right way to look at it because they will undoubtedly be fighting for their lives along with Waterford. As every team who gets promoted knows, for all the quality and young talent you may have, the more LOI experience you have around your squad the better.
The double signing from Bohs of Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall is a serious coup and having two more leaders in the dressing room will stand to them. By no means necessary does that mean they are fine to stay up but that trio of LOI stalwarts will guide the young players such as Gbemi Arubi and Vinnie Leonard and show them the ways of the top division.
We have another fantastic season of football on our hands. Rovers and Derry, for me, are still the two teams to beat. With such a long season ahead, even a slow start won’t stop them from coming back into the fold. Bohs and Shels will be looking to pull of shocks and challenge the top two and with the squads assembled it wouldn’t be the most ridiculous to see one of them at the top of the table when it’s all said and done.
I think Pats and Drogheda are just below those top four. Two fantastic sides who will be looking for European football and will be quick to react to any slip ups from the ones ahead of them. Sligo could also be in that group with Pat’s and Drogheda, but I think they’ll just slide in above the relegation battle. Not a terrible season but definitely not what they will want. I think the fight between Galway, Dundalk and Waterford will be a fascinating one to watch.
I’m sure each team will have their own run of great form and it’s just all about who will hit that patch of form at the right time.