League of Ireland Betting Column
LOI TV Commentator & the host of League of Ireland Lowdown, Kieran Burke picks out the best bets of the week in the LOI.
Dundalk v Shelbourne, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
Dundalk suffered just a second defeat of the season last weekend in Sligo, but Ciarán Kilduff won’t have lost too much sleep with his Dundalk side still sitting pretty in third after a fantastic start to the year.
Sadly, the same can’t be said of Kilduff’s counterpart Joey O’Brien who must be enduring many sleepless nights with Shelbourne only above the relegation play-off place by way of goal difference. The Reds, tipped as title contenders in some quarters, have been a disaster so far this season, with only bottom side Waterford conceding more goals.
Shelbourne led 2-0 at home to second from bottom Drogheda last week only to lose the game 3-4. That result is a snapshot of Shels season with the Drumcondra club scoring plenty of goals but shipping far too many.
Dundalk’s 2-0 loss at the Showgrounds was only the second time this season they’ve failed to score. The Lillywhites hit the woodwork on a couple of occasions and also had a certain goal cleared off the line. Still unbeaten at home in the league, not only this season but across Kilduff’s entire tenure in charge, Dundalk will be viewing the visit of vulnerable Shels as a great chance to bounce back.
This appeals as being a high-scoring game, but we’ll keep it simple with the match verdict and go for a home win.
BEST BET: 6/4 (NAP) +1pt
Bray Wanderers v Treaty United, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
After a slightly underwhelming run of form, Bray Wanderers put in a stellar display at home to league leaders Cork City last week. The Wicklow men were unfortunate not to come away with all three points after a 1-1 draw, but a similar effort will be more than enough to take care of the league’s bottom side on Friday.
Treaty United are really struggling this season and only for their goalkeeper Jack Brady, things could be a lot worse. Even with a brilliant Brady between the sticks last time out, Treaty United succumbed to a 0-3 defeat at home to UCD.
Across their last four league matches, Treaty United have taken two points, scored just one goal and have conceded eight.
Bray are unbeaten in their last five home fixtures, and anything other than a win here would come as a huge disappointment. Bray -1 at 9/5 makes appeal but given the Seagulls are seeking a first win in five matches it may be worth playing it safe.
BEST BET: Bray Wanderers (68/100) +2pts
Cork City v Cobh Ramblers, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
It’s the second Cork derby of the 2026 First Division season with Cork City still unbeaten while Cobh Ramblers have gone off the boil in recent weeks. The Rams recovered from a modest start by stringing together three straight wins in April but a tame scoreless draw at home to Longford being followed up by a convincing defeat in Wexford sees the Rams going into the derby on a low ebb.
Cork City were fortunate to keep their unbeaten record intact last week in Bray but there’s a feeling that City are probably playing within themselves at times and that they do have extra gears to go through when they really want to use them.
A home fixture against their local rivals is certainly as good a time as any to show off those extra gears. Seani Maguire already tops the divisions goal charts with 8 goals after 11 matches. Having a player like Maguire playing in the First Division is like having a cheat code.
Expect City to get back to winning ways in a division they are clearly streets ahead in.
BEST BET: Cork City (9/20) +2pts
UCD AFC v Longford Town, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
These two sides played out a 0-0 earlier in the campaign and with Longford Town claiming a sixth clean sheet of the season in last week’s win against Kerry FC, UCD may find it difficult to break down their visitors.
The Students look like the prime candidates to finish as best of the rest this season behind Cork City with the College currently six points behind the league leaders. UCD have claimed the joint-most amount of league wins after Cork City while they’ve also suffered the joint-fewest number of defeats.
Further underlying UCD’s strength this season is the fact that only Cork City have scored more goals than the College who also boast the joint-best defence with just eight goals conceded in 12 matches.
Longford Town have already earned as many clean sheets as they did in the entirety of last season with four shutouts in their last five games. The emergence of central defenders Connor Errity and Taylor McCarthy has been a huge reason for Longford’s improved defensive steel.
Sadly, De Town don’t score many, in fact they are the lowest goal scorers in the division. Teenage striker Hugh Smith bagged a brace for UCD on Friday and will carry the Students main goal scoring threat. If Errity and McCarthy can keep tabs on him, they may help Longford come away with another valuable point in their bid to qualify for the play-offs this season.
BEST BET: Draw (5/2) +1pt
Thoughts on the other games
Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
Sligo Rovers have done incredibly well to string three-straight wins together but their recent record at Sullivan & Lambe Park is poor. The Bit O’Red have lost on their last four visits here, including a 7-0 defeat in 2024.
Drogheda received a much needed pick me up with their stunning come from behind win at Tolka last week, but 4/5 looks short in what could be a tight affair between two teams separated in the table by just a single point.
Galway United v St.Patrick’s Athletic, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
St.Pat’s returned to the top of the table with an impressive 3-1 victory against Bohemians last week. As a result, many will probably make the Saints a banker for their trip to Galway on Friday. However, John Caulfield’s men were unlucky not to claim all three points in Waterford last time out and they remain a very competitive outfit.
Shamrock Rovers are the only team to have beaten Galway by a margin of more than one goal this season, and even at that United only lost that game 2-0 away from home.
St.Pat’s ground out a 1-0 win at Richmond Park in the original fixture back in early March, and while I’d expect the in-form Saints to win this one, I’m happy to pass over them at 9/10.
Bohemians v Derry City, Fri, 8.00, Virgin Media 2
A meeting of two out of form sides, albeit Derry City have won their last two games. However, the Candystripes were far from convincing in either and are still falling well below expectations this season. Those wins against Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers makes it two wins from Derry’s last nine games.
Bohemians started the year like a house on fire and were being talked up as title contenders after five wins and a draw from their first six, however, the wheels have come off with no wins in seven and three straight defeats.
It never takes much at Dalymount Park for the boo boys to start emerging, defeat on Friday would bring further scrutiny on Bohs boss Alan Reynolds.
Likewise, it won’t take much for pressure to starting mounting on Tiernan Lynch at Derry once again. If I had to pick a winner here it would be a tentative home win but this is very much a game to sit back and view as opposed to getting involved in.
Athlone Town v Kerry FC, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
Athlone Town are one of the most improved sides in the country this season. With only three wins in the entirety of last year, the Midlands have already won six times this term.
Kerry FC were being hyped up as promotion contenders in pre-season following a host of high-profile signings and increased off-field investment, but they’ve gone backwards under Colin Healy.
The Kingdom were awful in Longford last week and should have lost by more than one. Kian Moore didn’t have a save to make between the posts for the home side.
Without a win in six and sitting second bottom in the division, pressure is mounting on Healy. This is a fantastic chance for Athlone to continue their progress, but they have lost four of their last seven games, so they are far from rock solid at a price of 7/5.
Wexford FC v Finn Harps, Fri, 7.45, LOI TV
Wexford have hit form after a run of four wins in six matches. Their only defeat in that time came with a valiant performance away to Cork City, so a home game against a struggling Harps side should be a good chance to keep their form intact.
Wexford have had a habit of dipping in and out of form in recent seasons and given these sides have already played out a draw this year, I’m happy to sit this one out at the prices (Wexford 4/5), but they probably should be winning this.
Kieran’s LOI ACCA
I’m going to put up two accums this week, as I feel it could be a good gameweek for the home sides in the LOI First Division.
LOI First Division ACCA
- Athlone Town
- Bray Wanderers
- Cork City
- Wexford FC
- ODDS: 9.52 (+2pts)
LOI TREBLE
- Dundalk FC
- Shamrock Rovers
- Bray Wanderers
- ODDS: 4.13 (+1pt)
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