LOI Friday Night Preview: Derry City v Bohemians & Cork City v Sligo Rovers
Following the FAI Cup second round, attention returns to league matters on Friday night with crucial games taking place at the top and tail of the League of Ireland Premier Division table.
LOI TV Commentator Kieran Burke is running a level-stakes profit of €5.46 across his LOI betting columns this season. The Between the Stripes LOI podcast host is focusing on the following games for this week’s bets:
Derry City v Bohemians
Friday, 7:45pm | LOI TV
There’s a heavyweight clash on Friday night at the Brandywell as third-placed Derry City host second-placed Bohemians, with just a single point separating the sides. Both teams have enjoyed strong recent form, but with Shamrock Rovers eight points clear at the top, the margin for error is vanishing fast.
Derry City come into this game as the league’s most in-form side over the past five matches, racking up four wins and playing some of their best football of the season. Meanwhile, Bohemians can lay claim to being the most consistent side over a longer stretch — picking up 32 points from their last 15 league games (W10, D2, L3) — the best return of any club in that period.
Despite their upward trends, both clubs are at risk of being cut adrift in the title race. While they do each have a game in hand on Shamrock Rovers, it’s imperative they turn pressure into points immediately, particularly with the Hoops possessing a deep, experienced squad and strong closing form.
Last weekend provided a welcome break from league pressures, with both sides romping to victory in the FAI Cup. Derry dismantled First Division opponents Treaty United 1-5, while Bohs dispatched non-leaguers Killester 0-7 in ruthless fashion — performances that should add further attacking confidence ahead of this meeting.
Where They Stand
- Derry City: 3rd, 40 points from 24 games (W12, D4, L8)
- Bohemians: 2nd, 41 points (W13, D2, L9)
Derry’s home form is one of their major assets — they’ve picked up 7 wins from 12 matches at the Brandywell, losing just three. Bohemians are among the best travellers in the division, with 5 away wins from 12.
Head-to-Head
These two have already met twice this season — Bohemians edged the most recent clash in late May, while Derry took the honours in the previous encounter. Notably, Bohemians haven’t won at the Brandywell since 2023, and this fixture has often been finely balanced, with both teams scoring just once in the last three head-to-heads.
Interestingly, Bohs went the first half of the season without a single draw — but have now shared the spoils in two of their last three league outings. While that may indicate tactical maturity, turning defeats into draws, it also underlines the urgency of the situation: if they want to stay in the title hunt, wins — not stalemates — are essential from here on out.
Players to Watch
The standout performer in the league right now might just be Michael Duffy. The Derry winger, once on the books of Celtic, has been in electric form this season, scoring 8 goals and assisting 7 more. His pace and direct running remain a nightmare for defenders, and given Bohemians’ ongoing issues at full-back, Duffy could have a field day.
On the opposite wing, Gavin Whyte brings similar threat — all speed, guile and purpose — while Liam Boyce, the ex-Hearts striker, is finally starting to settle into life back in Ireland and is beginning to deliver in front of goal.
For Bohemians, Douglas James-Taylor has made an immediate impact. The former Drogheda loanee, recently signed from Walsall, scored a brilliant long-range effort against Galway and looks ready to lead the line with confidence. With talented creators like Dawson Devoy, Ross Tierney and Dayle Rooney supplying chances, James-Taylor could be primed for a big second half of the season.
The Verdict
Given both sides’ attacking form and defensive vulnerabilities, this has the makings of a wide-open encounter. The context of the title race adds even more urgency, and with a draw arguably helping only Shamrock Rovers, expect both teams to go for it.
Best Bet: Both Teams To Score (21/20) +1pt
Cork City v Sligo Rovers
Friday, 7:45pm | Virgin Media 2
It’s now or never for Cork City, who enter Friday night’s home clash against Sligo Rovers in a state of freefall. Eight points adrift of the safety zone, winless in the league since Ger Nash’s appointment in May, and struggling on and off the pitch, Cork must treat this fixture as a last stand in their fight against relegation.
Despite a 3-0 win in the FAI Cup last weekend, there’s little to be excited about. That victory came against non-league side Leicester Celtic, and City laboured for over an hour before breaking them down — not exactly a confidence booster. The mood remains toxic, especially after angry fans confronted players and staff following the recent Munster derby defeat to Waterford — a team that had conceded seven goals the week before.
Injury Crisis
City’s plight is compounded by injuries to key figures. Club captain Greg Bolger and top scorer Ruairi Keating are both sidelined, while the team continues to lean heavily on inexperienced loanees from the UK — a risky strategy at this stage of a relegation scrap.
Meanwhile in Sligo…
In stark contrast, Sligo Rovers arrive in Cork unbeaten in five matches in all competitions and brimming with confidence. A win on Friday would be massive — it would open up an 11-point gap between themselves and Cork, and all but condemn the Rebels to automatic relegation.
Manager John Russell deserves huge credit for Sligo’s turnaround. Once again, his loan recruitment has been shrewd, with James McManus (scorer of a stunning goal against Dundalk in the Cup) and Ryan O’Kane already looking like important additions. At the back, Patrick McClean — brother of Ireland international James — has slotted in seamlessly since rejoining the club, adding much-needed leadership and steel.
The Stakes
With only the bottom team automatically relegated in the LOI Premier Division (and ninth facing a playoff), this is effectively a six-pointer. Cork lose, and they’re staring down the barrel. Sligo win, and they might just start glancing up the table — Waterford, currently 8th, are only six points ahead.
The Verdict
Everything points to a Sligo win here. They’re in form, well organised, playing with belief — and they’re facing a Cork City team devoid of leadership, spirit and momentum. How the bookies have Sligo as underdogs is frankly baffling.
Best Bet: Sligo Rovers (11/5) +1pt