LOI Betting Tips: An Almost 5/1 Treble for the Penultimate Weekend
The finish line is in sight yet nothing is ultimately decided in the 2025 League of Ireland campaign. For the second week running, Shamrock Rovers spurned the chance to wrap up the league title with another Dublin derby defeat away to St. Pat’s, but the Hoops can finally secure a fifth title in six years by claiming a point away to Derry on Sunday.
Monday’s draw between Dublin rivals Bohemians and St. Pat’s means just one point separates those two teams and Drogheda in the race for fourth, while Galway United, Sligo Rovers and Waterford FC are all level on points as the battle to avoid the relegation play-off goes down to the wire.
Last week’s column returned yet another small profit to take the overall P/L for the season to an impressive +8.84. This week, LOI TV Commentator & Between the Stripes LOI podcast host Kieran Burke has put together a near 5/1 treble for the penultimate round of league fixtures.
INDIVIDUAL SELECTIONS
Sligo Rovers v Cork City, Sat, 7.45, LOI TV
The fixtures computer may have done Sligo Rovers a favour in the final two weeks of the campaign with the Bit O’Red set to host an already relegated Cork City on Saturday before a trip to face a Shamrock Rovers side who potentially may have nothing to play for on the final weekend.
With Sligo Rovers six goals better off than ninth-placed Waterford in the league standings, a win here combined with a Waterford defeat away to St.Pat’s would almost certainly see Sligo Rovers cement their top flight status for another season.
Cork City were narrowly beaten away to Drogheda last week and are now winless in their last five league games, suffering four defeats in that time. However, City are FAI Cup finalists and players will be keen to lock in their position in the starting XI for next month’s Aviva showpiece.
The Rebels were extremely unlucky to lose out in a five-goal thriller against Sligo when the sides last met in July so don’t expect Ger Nash’s men to be any kind of pushovers despite their already relegated status.
Sligo Rovers have had a couple of tough games of late with defeats against two of the top three in Shelbourne and Derry City but they’ve suffered just one defeat in their last eight at the Showgrounds (four wins).
Cork City are yet to get the better of Sligo Rovers from three previous encounters this season and with safety now in sight, John Russell’s men should be grabbing this opportunity with both hands on Saturday.
BEST BET: Sligo Rovers win & BTTS @ 23/10 +1pt
Derry City v Shamrock Rovers, Sun, 3.00, Virgin Media Two
A meeting of the top two on the penultimate weekend of the season with the title not yet secured would usually equal blockbuster TV but Shamrock Rovers superior goal difference has rather taken the string out of things. 13 goals better off than the hosts, it’s just a matter of when the Hoops will lift the title rather than if.
Stephen Bradley is set to touch down by helicopter in Derry for Sunday’s game as the Rovers boss is set to run the Dublin marathon beforehand while his players will still be recouping from a big European game a few days earlier against Celje.
All of that means that perhaps Rovers won’t be at their best which could leave the Champions elect vulnerable away to a Derry team who can secure European football for next season with a positive result in front of their own fans.
Derry City are unbeaten across 90 minutes in their last nine games and will be seeking a third straight win on Sunday after victories against Sligo Rovers and Waterford FC. Michael Duffy bagged the winner at the RSC last week, a goal that brought up double digits for the season for the ex-Dundalk winger. As a result of Duffy’s 23 goal contributions in the league this season he is a leading contender for the LOI Player of the year award which has sparked a discussion regarding possible Ireland honours for the Derry native.
Duffy has scored six career goals against Shamrock Rovers, including in an FAI Cup final for Dundalk, and could once again prove to be the point of difference on Sunday.
One concern for Derry supporters will be the fact that they haven’t beaten Rovers at home in the league since a late Jamie McGonigle strike on matchday two of the 2022 campaign so I’ll be going for a more conservative selection.
BEST BET: Derry City draw no net @ 4/5 +1pt
Bohemians v Shelbourne, Sun, 4.00, LOI TV
Two Dublin rivals clash in a European qualification six-pointer at Dalymount Park on Sunday but again, possible European effects need to be taken into account here. Shelbourne make the long trip to North Macedonia this week for a Conference League clash with KF Shkëndija on Thursday night and with the Reds sitting four points clear of Bohs, they can afford to roll the dice and prioritise the lucrative European game over this league assignment.
Bohemians desperately needs the three points after Monday’s scoreless draw with St.Pat’s and a surprise defeat in Galway. Alan Reynolds men are now winless in three league games but they’ve taken four points off Shelbourne this season so may bounce back here.
The Gypsies have won three of their last five competitive games at home, they also beat German side Schalke in a friendly during the international break, while their only home defeat in that time was a dramatic 3-4 reverse against second place Derry City.
Shelbourne have only won once at Dalymount since 2013 and with a return to Europe within touching distance, expect the Bohs faithful to act as a 12th man and push their team over the line on Sunday.
BEST BET: Bohemians @ 11/10 +1pt
THE TREBLE
Coming in at just shy of 5/1 is a treble containing wins for Bohemians and Shelbourne with Derry City draw no bet making up the other leg of the bet. +1pt.
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