Victory for Bohemians last week saw them cut Shamrock Rovers lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division from eight points to five, though Rovers still have a game in hand over their Dublin rivals.
At the other end of the table Shelbourne picked up a vital win to move themselves seven points clear of the bottom spot and the potential of automatic relegation and they now also sit five points clear of the relegation/promotion play-off spot. Cork did have a chance to leapfrog Finn Harps and get off the bottom spot on Tuesday night, but a Patrick Hoban brace saw them go down 2-0 to current champions Dundalk.
Going into this weekend’s games this leaves the league table looking like this: –
| Pos | Club | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 7 | 31 | 38 |
| 2 | Bohemians | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 33 |
| 3 | Dundalk | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 18 | 4 | 21 |
| 4 | Waterford | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 21 | -5 | 20 |
| 5 | St. Patrick’s Athletic | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 19 |
| 6 | Sligo Rovers | 15 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 15 | 21 | -6 | 19 |
| 7 | Derry City | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 16 |
| 8 | Shelbourne | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 18 | -6 | 16 |
| 9 | Finn Harps | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 20 | -11 | 11 |
| 10 | Cork City | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 27 | -19 | 9 |
This weekend there are four fixtures being played across the next three days as the two-horse race at the top of the table continues with Rovers and Bohemians playing Dundalk and Derry respectively. For Keith Long’s side every game is a must win at this stage if they are to have any chance of taking the title this season, a victory for Dundalk would give Stephen Bradley’s side the chance to move eight points clear and have a chance at claiming the title when they play again on Monday night against Finn Harps.
After defeat during the week Cork have another chance to get themselves off the bottom spot, they play Waterford who currently trial Dundalk by a point in a bid to claim the final European spot of the season. Cork’s closest challengers in the automatic relegation scrap are Finn Harps who face a difficult tie against the current league leaders on Monday night, so this is a big opportunity for Colin Healy’s side.
The full fixture list for this weekend is as follows: –
Dundalk v Bohemians (Friday 16th October at 17:45)
Shamrock Rovers v Derry City (Friday 16th October at 19:45)
Cork City v Waterford (Saturday 17th October at 17:00)
Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers (Sunday 18th October at 17:00)
In the SSE Airtricity First Division Bray Wanderers are currently sitting five points ahead of Drogheda but they find themselves with no game this weekend leaving Drogheda with an opportunity to move into first spot if they manage to win tonight and in their next fixture on Tuesday night.
The full First Division fixtures for this weekend are: –
Drogheda United v Wexford (Friday 16th October at 19:45)
U.C.D. v Cabinteely (Friday 16th October at 19:45)
Shamrock Rovers II v Athlone Town (Saturday 17th October at 15:00)
Longford Town v Cobh Ramblers (Saturday 17th October at 19:45)
Here is the full First Division table as it stands: –
| Pos | Club | Pl | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Bray Wanderers | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 35 |
| 2 | Drogheda United | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 30 |
| 3 | Longford Town | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 29 |
| 4 | Cabinteely | 16 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 26 | -2 | 28 |
| 5 | U.C.D. | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 37 | 26 | 11 | 26 |
| 6 | Galway United | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 23 |
| 7 | Cobh Ramblers | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 23 |
| 8 | Athlone Town | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 36 | -14 | 15 |
| 9 | Shamrock Rovers II | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 27 | -8 | 11 |
| 10 | Wexford | 16 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 42 | -34 | 5 |
Here is how our Writer’s Charity Prediction League is currently looking: –
| 1. Liam (Irish Cancer Society) | 48 |
| 2. Rodney (Marie Curie Cancer Care) | 39 |
| 3. Keith (North-West Hospital) | 37 |
| 4. Richard (The National Autistic Society) | 36 |
| 5. Cameron (Prostate Cancer UK)/Darren (Cancer Research UK) | 31 |
| 7. Adrian (Alzheimer’s Society) | 30 |
| 8. Bryan (Children’s Cancer Unit at Royal Victoria Hospital) | 26 |
As usual our team will get three points for predicting a result correct and a point for predicting the correct outcome in a fixture, Adrian is up first this week.
Adrian (Alzheimer’s Society)
Dundalk 2-1 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Derry City
Cork City 0-1 Waterford
Shelbourne 1-1 Sligo Rovers
Rodney (Marie Curie Cancer Care)
Dundalk 2-2 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 3-0 Derry City
Cork City 1-2 Waterford
Shelbourne 2-1 Sligo Rovers
Richard (The National Autistic Society)
Dundalk 2-0 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 2-0 Derry City
Cork City 1-2 Waterford
Shelbourne 4-0 Sligo Rovers
Liam (Irish Cancer Society)
Dundalk 1-1 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 4-0 Derry City
Cork City 0-2 Waterford
Shelbourne 1-2 Sligo Rovers
Darren (Cancer Research UK)
Dundalk 3-0 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 1-0 Derry City
Cork City 1-1 Waterford
Shelbourne 1-0 Sligo Rovers
Keith (North-West Hospital)
Dundalk 1-0 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 2-1 Derry City
Cork Coty 0-3 Waterford
Shelbourne 0-1 Sligo Rovers
Cameron (Prostate Cancer UK)
Dundalk 2-2 Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers 4-1 Derry City
Cork City 0-2 Waterford
Shelbourne 1-1 Sligo Rovers
