1. Sligo must share workload
For the first time since 1977, Sligo Rovers start the season as league champions and the Bit O’Red couldn’t have asked for a trickier opening test as they make the trip to Derry tonight.
The mood out west could hardly be more optimistic, and despite losing some star men in the off-season, manager Ian Baraclough begins the campaign confident that he has a squad strong enough to successfully defend the title.
With Danny North still on the injured list and Mark Quigley now at Shamrock Rovers, Sligo are missing two of their main goal threats. In Monday night’s 5-0 win against Glentoran, the goals were shared between defender Evan McMillan and midfielders Lee Lynch and Ryan Connolly, as well as striker Anthony Elding. If Sligo can keep getting these support players into attacking positions, they won’t feel North’s absence.
2. Derry need to rebuild fortress
Traditionally seen as one of the hardest away trips in the league calendar, the Brandywell lost its imposing menace last season. After pushing Shamrock Rovers and Sligo all the way to the wire in 2011, Derry faded into a distant fifth in Declan Devine’s first season in charge.
Although Devine rightly points to their horrendous luck with injuries, a large part of the problem was their poor home form, losing eight games out of 15. They cannot be truly competitive without improving that record and with last year’s champions and runners-up, Sligo and Drogheda, the first two teams to visit this season they need to hit the ground running.
(©INPHO/Margaret McLaughlin)
3. Kenny out to prove a point
Stephen Kenny’s short reign in charge of Shamrock Rovers may have been a compelling car crash for those who were not directly involved, but for the man who bore the brunt of the criticism and ultimately lost his job nine months into a three-year contract, it was bitter pill to swallow.
Kenny’s managerial CV stands on its own merits but after his Tallaght trauma, he found himself answering criticisms about his ability to control a dressing room and motivate his players.
By his own admission, Kenny works well with struggling clubs; at Dundalk, that will surely be the case. What better way to open the next phase of his career than with a win against former employers in Oriel Park tonight?
4. Hoops look to Sullivan to lead
Shamrock Rovers fans don’t need to be reminded how disappointing last season was but new manager Trevor Croly comes to his first senior management job determined to draw a line under the past.
There’s no denying that player morale plummeted at Rovers during Kenny’s short reign and Croly is aware of the need for a strong dressing room leader. To that end he has made the vocal Pat Sullivan club captain for 2013.
But where some see passion, others see petulance and only time will tell if Sully can rein in the damaging hot-headed streak that he has shown in the past.
(©INPHO/Cathal Noonan)
5. Pat’s engine-room revamp
When Liam Buckley took control of St Patrick’s Athletic last season, he promised to introduce the slick passing game which has become his own personal brand as a manager. He succeeded, though key to that was the metronomic distribution of James Chambers from his position just behind the central midfielders.
Without Chambers and without Player of the Year nominee Sean O’Connor, both of whom have returned to Shamrock Rovers, the Pat’s engine room has a slightly different feel to it this season. Killian Brennan has come in the opposite direction while Conan Byrne has a chance to make his presence felt again after a bit-part role at Shelbourne last season. It will be interesting to watch Buckley’s midfield moves in the opening weeks.
6. Bohs’ young bucks
In Kevin Feely (Charlton) and Evan McMillan (Sligo), Bohemians lost two of their main defenders in the off-season. If nothing else, manager Aaron Callaghan is confident that it will inspire his remaining players to reach for bigger and better things themselves.
As with last season Callaghan finds himself at the helm of a very young squad, but with that youth, comes an exuberance and desire to improve. It is the young players driving the pace and intensity of the training sessions, Callaghan revealed, and if he can harness and direct that, it will make for a positive and productive atmosphere around Phibsboro.
7. Derby day down Munster way
Despite the wrangling over TV times and the fixture shuffle needed to accommodate it, Sunday’s Munster derby between Premier Division new boys Limerick and Cork City sells itself. There is a definite buzz around Limerick as you would expect ahead of their first top-flight season since 1994, and the club have high hopes that they have unearthed a gem in novice manager Stuart Taylor.
The only thing that’s missing is an easier opening fixture. Cork already have four competitive games under their belt and have already booked the first place in the Setanta Cup semi-finals. What’s more, Tommy Dunne’s men have been impressive and breezed past Cliftonville and Crusaders, currently first and second in the IFA Premiership.
Airtricity League fixtures (all Friday, 7.45pm unless stated)
Premier Division
- Bohemians v UCD
- Bray Wanderers v Shelbourne
- Derry City v Sligo Rovers
- Dundalk v Shamrock Rovers
- St. Patrick’s Athletic v Drogheda United
- Limerick v Cork City (Sunday, 5.15pm)
First Divison
- Salthill Devon v Longford Town
- Waterford United v Finn Harps
- Athlone Town v Mervue United (Saturday, 7.45pm)
- Cobh Ramblers v Wexford Youths (Saturday, 7.45pm
