Airtricity Premier Division Betting - Gameweek 1

It’s back ladies and gents! After months of tedious barstool football bombardment, the sweet sweet nectar of the League of Ireland finally returns to liven up our otherwise depressing weekends! Get ready for seven long months of bizarre refereeing decisions, increasingly poor away kits, and awfully cold nights (‘summer soccer’ you say?? Well, you’ve obviously never ventured to the Carlisle Grounds in June, where temperatures at pitch level reportedly reached – 46 at a game last season). But we all know you can’t beat it! And, one thing that really can give you a spring in your step after watching your local Airtricity team – is having won a few squid on the game!

Yes, you’ve come to the one-and-only Airtricity League weekly tipping column. Every week I’ll be previewing each game, and giving you my thoughts on where your hard-earned betting cash might be best wagered. Word of warning – should the bets not come through, Extratime Towers is equipped with anti-angry mob security. So, if you are planning to arrange a Simpsons-style Burlesque House lynch mob, it won’t be worth it.

Bohemians V UCD

Expectations are a little lower at Dalymount Park these days. Last season, Bohs lost all four of their opening league games without scoring a goal. If that had happened in previous years, the manager would almost certainly have been doused in Leo Burdock’s chip oil and set alight atop the Jodi Stand. Luckily, the Notorious Boo Boys have calmed down a bit, and Aaron Callaghan was allowed to build a solid, if unspectacular season. There should be room for improvement this term, with the core of that young team intact alongside experienced heads like Dave Mulcahy, Stephen Paisley, and Owen Heary, playing in his 49^th consecutive LOI season. As for the Students, Martin Russell’s band of players seem to always do enough to stay above the parapet. Not this week though, I fancy Bohs to open their account with a win and keep a clean sheet.
Betting: Bohemians to win to nil – 23/10 (Paddy Power)

Bray Wanderers V Shelbourne

Ah, the Carlisle Grounds. Chilly, isn’t it? It’s actually a little known fact that Bray Wanderers employ a Limb Collector, a little guy with a moustache and a dustpan who scoops up all the fingers and toes lost through frostbite after every game. After an overachieving 2011 under Pat Devlin, 2012 was much slower for the Seagulls. Only Dundalk finished below them last season and, unlike the Lilywhites, Bray have not clearly strengthened their squad. Luckily for them this week, Shelbourne are in the same boat. There are no single outstanding players at Tolka this term, although in Philly Hughes they really do have a player and a half… (too easy wasn’t it? I’m sorry). Alan Mathews has a job on his hands to keep Shels out of a murky, relegation-tasting swamp. A draw here at 11/5 looks like a great price.
Betting: Draw at 11/5 (Paddy Power)

Derry City V Sligo Rovers

A tough opener for the Champions (that sounds nice, doesn’t it Sligo fans?). However, their devastating performance against Glentoran in the Setanta Cup would have had the rest of the league clutching at their collars and making a throaty, guttural, worried sound. They’ve replaced Jason McGuiness with a better version of Jason McGuinness in Evan McMillan, while former Crystal Palace winger Keiran Djilali could be a shrewd piece of late-window business. Derry City are a fine club, but their fans have one chant that I really can’t stand. It’s the one where they repeat “Red and White Army”, and a few of them make this weird, shrill whistling sound in between. Next time your team plays them, listen out for it. It’s infuriating! 
Betting: Sligo Rovers at 6/5

Dundalk V Shamrock Rovers

Aha – it’s the classic “old-manager-comes-up-against-team-that-sacked-him” rigmarole. Stephen Kenny and his Alex Ferguson-esque purple nose take on the wounded animal that is Shamrock Rovers. With the squad and the resources they had, Rovers’ performance last season was nothing short of criminal. The froth around the mouths of many Hoops fans in 2012 means there simply cannot be a repeat failure. Expect them to push Sligo all the way to the title this year. Mark Quigley, despite his awful, awful hair, is the most naturally gifted player in the league. If he sparks alongside Ciaran Kilduff and the returning Karl Sheppard, Rovers could be explosive. However, Dundalk have strengthened so much that their last-place finish will surely not be repeated this term. Keith Ward, John Dillon, Tiernan Mulvenna, Stephen O’Donnell and Vinny Faherty are all top-class signings. I fancy the Lilywhites to grab a draw here in what should be a red-hot opening night atmosphere.
Betting: Draw at 13/5

St. Patrick’s Athletic V Drogheda United

I still occasionally look at last season’s league table and think there has been some kind of terrible administrative mistake. But no, Drogheda United actually finished 2^nd, only 4 points behind Sligo, winning the same amount of games. Mick Cooke deserved some kind of Nobel Prize for Management. Unfortunately Drogs fans, you all know this was a freak season. I mean a proper, hunch-backed, ugly freak. It won’t happen again, sorry. As for Pats, I really fancy them this term. They’ve signed Killian Brennan, whose dead ball skills are absolutely lethal. If he teams up nicely with Christy Fagan and Boy Wonder Chris Forrester, Pats could push the big two all the way. But, because they are Pats, they will almost certainly bottle it big time. They need to get off to a fast start, and I think they’ll do just that against the Drogs this week. Back them minus a goal.
Betting:  St Pats -1 at 11/4

Limerick V Cork City

The last time Limerick were in the Premier Division, I was a snot-nosed four year old boy who apparently liked to clamber around the old Dalymount wooden stand like a small monkey, paying no attention to the turgid football apparently on show at Dalyer in 1993-94. 19 seasons have passed, the Dalymount stand doesn’t smell like old men’s pipe smoke anymore, and Limerick are happily back in the big time. Amazingly enough, they also have the biggest and best ground in the league - albeit on a temporary basis. Debate has raged as to whether playing Thomond Park will work to Limerick’s advantage. I don’t think so. It’s way too big, and it will be impossible to generate the kind of feverish atmosphere that the egg-chasers whip up every time the handsomer, nicer-smelling Leinster fans come to town. Cork City have been red-hot in pre-season, banging in the goals in a manner reminiscent of the Rico mid-00’s days. I fancy them to poop on the RTE Limerick love-in this Sunday. Back the away win. 
Betting:  Cork City at 13/8

€5 accumulator on these 6 bets with Paddy Power pays back €2,381.60. Delish!