What a start to the new season it has been for our LOI tipster Kieran Burke. The LOI TV Commentator & host of Between the Stripes LOI podcast went 2/2 for +3.88 profit in his President’s Cup preview before almost landing the jackpot with 4 winning selections from 5 in last week’s opening league preview of the campaign. The Longford man is now +8.63 pts as we move into week two of the 2025 LOI season.
WATERFORD FC v SHELBOURNE, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
The Champions made a real statement last Friday as they dispatched last season’s title rivals Derry City with ease in front of a bumper crowd at Tolka Park. Damien Duff’s men ran out 3-1 winners on the night but in truth it could have been an awful lot more.
The Reds new look front two of Mipo Odubeko and Sean Boyd provided the hosts with bundles of energy and excitement while Harry Wood looked back to his best in the midfield. Despite winning the league last season Shelbourne did struggle for goals at times but the early indications are they will carry a lot more threat in the final third in 2025.
As for Waterford, only Rovers, Pat’s and Derry scored more goals than the Blues last season and the early signs are Keith Long’s team will be an enjoyable watch again this year after the Munster men edged out Sligo Rovers in a five goal thriller last weekend.
The Bit O’Red will still be asking themselves as to how they came away empty handed on the night as they posted a higher XG (3.44) than they did in any of their matches in 2024. Only for a last-gasp goal line clearance from Ryan Burke and a penalty save by Stephen McMullan Sligo Rovers would have earned at least a share of the spoils.
Blues debutants Conan Noonan and Tommy Lonergan both played a huge hand in Waterford opening their campaign with maximum points while Long can still call on the services of last season’s joint-top scorer in the Premier Division Padraig Amond.
With Sean Boyd starting the new season in fine form and Odubeko missing a series of golden opportunities last week having scored in the President’s Cup both attacks look stacked and we could be in for another exciting encounter.
Shelbourne were 3-1 winners when the sides last met in October with Amond and Boyd among the scorers.
BEST BET: Over 2.5 goals (5/4)
DERRY CITY v BOHEMIANS, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
New Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch laughed off suggestions ahead of his teams league opener that his squad was too old with the former Larne boss playfully suggesting Shelbourne would need to create extra space in the Tolka Park changing rooms for all the wheelchairs they’d be bringing down from Derry. Something tells me Lynch may not have been as playful on the long journey home after watching his side receiving a proper spanking from the champions.
Lynch called it right in that same press conference when he stated the age of his squad would be used against him if Derry have a bad season and it will be forgotten about if they have a good year. If Lynch had hoped to at least quell some of the discussion for now things couldn’t have gone worse at Tolkla Park as his team looked leggy and lethargic against the relentless Reds.
Bohemians couldn’t have looked more energetic if they tried on Sunday against Shamrock Rovers with the Gypsies covering every blade of grass on the sizeable Aviva Stadium pitch. Ross Tierney’s goal was enough to get Bohs off to a winning start in front of a record league crowd of over 33,000.
Alan Reynolds and co look to have done some really good business in the window with Niall Morohan adding some real legs and reliability to the midfield with Lys Mousset and Colm When have added plenty of spark in the attack. Throw into the mix the return of club stalwarts Keith Buckley and Rob Cornwall as well as the title winning experience of John Mountney and suddenly Bohemians have a far stronger look about them.
As long as Sunday hasn’t taken too much out of the Bohemian legs they look good value to get a result in Derry on Friday.
BEST BET: Bohemians draw no bet (9/5)