League of Ireland Premier Division 2017 - Extratime's Ones to Watch

Extratime’s Ones to Watch – Premier Division

Ahead of the kick off to the League of Ireland campaign, our team of extratime.ie reporters picked a player at each club who they think are someone to watch out for the season. On a club-by-club basis, along with the season preview, here are the players to keep an eye out for in the Premier Division this season.

 

Bohemians - Dinny Corcoran (Preview by Padraic Ó Conghaile)

Not a new player to Bohemians fans, Dinny Corcoran returns for his third spell at Bohemians. Corcoran (28) scored three goals in pre-season and will hope to continue that form in the League.

 

Having only made two league starts last season at St Patrick's Athletic he will hope to get back to the form that saw him net 13 for Bohs in 2014 and 12 for Sligo Rovers in 2015. Keith Ward who also returns to the Gypsies this season said “Dinny is one of the most under rated players in the league,” said. speaking to extratime.ie.

 

 



Bray Wanderers - Gary McCabe (Preview by Ian Moore)

We could have chosen any one of the new signings here but it will be interesting to see how McCabe will adapt to life at the Carlisle Grounds after five years at Shamrock Rovers.

 

McCabe was one of the Hoops most consistent performers in recent years so perhaps it was a surprise to some to see him headed for the exit door after over 150 appearances. He is no stranger to Wicklow coast as the Seagulls were his first senior club and in landing his signature they have got their hands on a senior campaigner who will no doubt add something to the team and chip in with his fair share of goals.    

 

Cork City - Shane Griffin (Preview by Paul Dilleen)



Griffin has signed a two year deal with his hometown club after spending three years on the books at Reading. The former Ireland under-21 international failed to make a first team appearance for the Royals during his time there but will be keen to progress his career with the FAI Cup winners. The 22-year-old can play in any position across the back four and will be eager to cement his place in a side aiming to overtake Dundalk at the summit of Irish football.

 

Derry City - Mikhail Kennedy (Preview by Shaun Keenan)

The Derry man has returned home on a five-month loan deal from Charlton Athletic after scoring seven goals in his last three appearances for the London outfit in the under-23 development league. Kennedy will offer Derry another attacking threat up front this season and is sure to get goals for the Candystripes. Rory Patterson was Derry's only substantial source of goals from the forward position last season and Shiels will be looking for Kennedy to help the Strabane man out this season and ease the pressure off the former Northern Ireland international.

 

Drogheda United - Thomas Byrne (Preview by Gerard Grimes)

The versatile teenager, signed by his hometown club from Brighton & Hove Albion, can play in midfield, on the wing and as a striker. Byrne has impressed in pre-season, scoring in victories over Drogheda Town and Ballinamallard United.

 

Byrne’s most likely starting position looks set to be in the midfield three of Pete Mahon’s starting eleven, which will likely be a 4-3-3 setup. The teenager will face stiff competition regardless of what position he plays in. In central midfield alone, Byrne will have Killian Brennan, Richie Purdy, Jake Hyland, Jamie Hollywood, Sean Thornton and Sean Brennan to compete with.

 

 

Dundalk - Carlton Ubaezuono (Preview by Tom O’Connor)

While many supporters across the country will be watching out to see how new recruits Conor Clifford and Michael Duffy take to the league, it’s left sided winger Ubaezuono who has the potential to really make a name for himself this season.

 

Having played at left back for Dundalk’s underage teams, he was moved permanently to a more forward role halfway through last season and has blossomed. He ran an Everton XI ragged in a friendly last summer before repeating the dose to a Crumlin defence in the FAI Cup a few weeks later.

 

He began this season in fine form against Glenavon in a friendly before scoring in the Leinster Senior Cup against St Patrick’s CY. A direct and pacy winger on the left wing left the county Louth club having performed heroics for Stephen Kenny’s men but, while Ubaezuono may not possess the Galwegian’s trickery as yet, this is the season he could make a name for himself.

 

Finn Harps – Paddy McCourt (Preview by Shaun Keenan)

The former Derry City and Celtic man shouldn’t be in One to Watch article, as any Irish football fan should already know about his incredible footballing ability. However the “Derry Pele” hasn’t had the consistency he would have liked recently and he will look to get back to winning form at Finn Park.

 

Having signed for Glenavon last summer, the winger only made 12 appearances and scored once. After struggling to adapt to part-time football, McCourt called it quits in December and the club and himself mutually agreed to end his contract. In fact, McCourt shouldn’t be known for his goal scoring record as the former Scottish league champion has only scored 39 times in 364 appearances in all competitions and has only scored five goals in his last four seasons. But when he does get a goal, you can be sure it is something special.

 

Even at 33 years old, McCourt will still have plenty to offer the Harps attacking line and if he can find his top form again then Harps may just avoid the drop. Having experience in a team such as Harps is pivotal to their season and acquiring McCourt's is a top signing for the club and something the fans can get excited about.  

 

 

Galway United -Ronan Murray (Preview by Padraic Collins)

Signed from Notts County in December, Murray has already made a big impact on United´s pre-season friendlies, scoring three times. The 25-year-old striker hails from Bellmullet and has spent nine years in English football plying his trade first with Ipswich Town – partly under Roy Keane – and had loan spells with Torquay United, Plymouth Argyle and Swindon Town, before switching to Notts County in 2013.

 

The departure of Jake Keegan two seasons ago left a gaping hole in United's attack that was alleviated somewhat by the arrival of Vinny Faherty. However, lacking a proven goalscorer as an understudy to an injured or rested Vinny, United´s goal-getting abilities were diminished in his absence. Keegan has addressed this and the Tribesmen have added real quality to their front line by getting Murray to sign for them. The pacey and experienced striker may well prove the difference in tight games this season and, with four front men vying for places, fierce competition may see Murray rise to the top.

 

 

Limerick - Chiedozie Ogbene (Preview by Tom Clancy)

The speedy winger was perhaps the most notable acquisition made by the Super Blues during the winter. While still only 19, Ogbene was highly rated on Leeside and Limerick swooped for his signature. It would appear that the lure of first team football was enough to attract him to Martin Russell’s squad. Having netted in a number of friendlies and in the Munster Senior Cup, it appears that it won’t take Ogbene long to add to his three Premier Division goals so far. Despite the competition on the flanks in Limerick, plenty is expected of a man with less than a dozen competitive outings in his senior career.

 

 

Saint Patrick’s Athletic - Alex O’Hanlon (Preview by Aaron Gallagher)

Speaking at the launch of the 2017 SSE Airtricity League last week, Liam Buckley admitted that one of his side’s key strengths this season could be the range of talent to be found in their younger players.

 

His side cannot boast the big names brought in by bigger money at Bray and Shamrock Rovers. But what Richmond Park can boast is a litany of younger talents which have proven capable of playing at the standard of the Premier Division. One such player is 20-year-old Alex O’Hanlon, who has returned to Ireland following five years on Merseyside playing for Liverpool.

 

The player is capable of playing in both defence and midfield, with his height and frame meaning he can contribute in both attacking and defensive setups and  scored on his club debut in a 4-0 Leinster Senior Cup win against Bray Wanderers at the end of January

 

 

Shamrock Rovers - Tomer Chincenski (Preview by Macdara Ferris)

The Canadian will wear the Rovers number one jersey for the season. He began his career in America where he played with Toronto, Detroit Ignition and Newark Ironbound Express. He played with Nistru Otaci in Moldova, VPS in Finland, Orebro in Sweden before joining Maccabi Tel Aviv.

 

He subsequently played with RoPS in Finland and was last with Helsingborgs in Sweden. The commanding Rovers ‘keeper, capped previously at international level, could be the dominant number one that the Hoops haven’t had since they lost Alan Mannus to St. Johnstone in 2011.

 

 

Sligo Rovers - Tobi Adebayor-Rowling (Preview by Aaron Cawley)

By his own admissions the young right back took time to settle in to the League of Ireland last season. This season though, the young English right back will look to hit the ground running and start the season as he finished last season, in top form.

 

 

 

 

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile