Liam Beckett: Linfield to retain their title, Glenavon outside bets for Cup glory… it’s time for my annual Irish League predictions!
Well folks, it’s that time of year when I get the chance to assess just how I feel the new Danske Bank Premiership season is likely to pan out.
There will, of course, be people out there who totally disagree with my predictions but hey, football is a game of varying opinions and these are mine.
I can already feel my ears burning, so I’m turning the phone off pronto and logging out of Twitter for the week!
Seriously though, I’d like to wish all 12 Premiership teams and their supporters good health and every success in the coming weeks and months. We have a superb product here in the Irish League, let’s all make sure it stays that way.
BALLYMENA UNITED
The Sky Blues stuttered somewhat last season, particularly having lost so many influential players to long-term injuries so early on — key marksman David Parkhouse being the prime example.
Lady Luck also turned her back on the Braidmen in the Irish Cup Final when they lost out in the dying seconds, but that’s football.
The departure of midfield powerhouse and captain Leroy Millar to near neighbours Larne must have felt like a dagger in the heart to the club’s fans, but the management team pulled off a masterstroke by luring prolific striker Davy McDaidto Warden Street.
Overall, I feel the Sky Blues look stronger this season and are well placed to make a serious push for a top-six spot.
Key player: Davy McDaid
Prediction: 7th
CARRICK RANGERS
I feel the Carrick lads have enough seasoned pros in their squad to at least guarantee their Premiership survival for another season.
The Amber Army started last year like a house on fire but then hit a real slump in form and, try as they may, they just couldn’t seem to buy a win — in fact, they went on such a bad run that they ended up flirting with relegation.
There’s lots of experience in the dressing room and, while they still need a couple more quality players to take them to the next level, I reckon they’ll survive okay.
Key player: Curtis Allen
Prediction: 9th
CLIFTONVILLE
The Reds were quite simply superb last season and, despite still being a part-time side, they pushed Linfield right to the wire for the title, but just came up short in the final furlong.
There is clearly a great togetherness in the squad of players at Solitude and I like that in a team — in fact, it’s usually a great recipe for success.
Last year, I felt centre-back Jonny Addis was the rock around which the team was built and each and every time I covered their games, he was immense, always leading by example.
With the shrewd signing of striker Ronan Hale to complement the likes of Ryan Curran and Joe Gormley in attack, goals would now look to be guaranteed and, once again, they appear to be the real deal and most definitely challengers for all the majors.
Key player: Jonny Addis
Prediction: 2nd
COLERAINE
There have been quite a few new additions to the playing personnel on the Ballycastle Road as the Bannsiders try to find that wee thing that was missing last season.
Still solid looking defensively and with a good mix of creativity and strength in midfield, they’ve struggled to find the right striking formation and goals have been hard to come by.
Ironically, I feel the departure of Eoin Bradleywill prove a difficult gap to fill.
‘Skinner’ brings a lot more than goals to a team — he is a presence in the dressing room and a thorn in every opposition defence — but if Coleraine can find that elusive blend up front, then they will battle it out with Larne, Glenavon and Ballymena United to see who will be the main provincial team to take the battle to the city clubs.
Key player: Lyndon Kane
Prediction: 6th
CRUSADERS
I see the Crues as real challengers to Linfield for the League title.
They’re a club with a long-established manager and a squad of players steeped in experience with that crucial know-how factor when it comes to winning major trophies.
Success in football has a tendency to work in cycles and I just get the feeling that the wheel of fortune may well be about to stop off at Seaview very soon.
The quality in the playing squad is not in question, but their consistency needs to improve and if it does then keep an eye on the Shore Road men.
Key player: Philip Lowry
Prediction: 4th
DUNGANNON SWIFTS
Similar to Carrick Rangers, I feel the Swifts have enough about them to survive comfortably.
Manager Dean Shiels has assembled a squad that has experience in crucial areas, complemented by a group of very talented young players.
A brand new 3G pitch at Stangmore Park will certainly benefit the team’s style of passing football.
A top-six finish would be an excellent achievement but otherwise I think they will be fine.
Key player: Ryan Mayse
Prediction: 10th
GLENAVON
Together with Larne, Ballymena United and Coleraine, I could quite easily see the Lurgan Blues as top-six material and the best provincial club when the points get tallied up at the end of the season.
There’s a good blend of players at Mourneview Park and a dyed-in-the-wool manager who is coming up to 11 years in charge of his beloved club, so they’ll give anyone a game on their day.
Consistency has also been their Achilles heel for the last period of time and that’s something they’ve got to get sorted.
The signing of striker Eoin Bradley for a second spell in Lurgan is a good one and he will give them a really good outlet when they turn defence into attack — in fact, I cannot think of a more capable frontman than ‘Skinner’ at holding the ball up.
Glenavon are a good outside bet for all the Cup competitions.
Key player: Sean Ward
Prediction: 8th
GLENTORAN
The Glens had a really disappointing end to the season last time out but let’s not forget that at one stage it was they who many thought would be the main threat to Linfield in the race for the title.
Let there be no doubt whatsoever that a strong Glentoran is a real boost for the Irish League and I genuinely feel this particular team is close to becoming major trophy winners again.
By their own standards, they have been pretty quiet in this current transfer window, but that also tells me that the management team are reasonably happy with the current squad of players at their disposal and I am convinced they will be there or thereabouts.
Key player: Conor McMenamin
Prediction: 3rd
LARNE
Tremendous progress has been made both on and off the pitch at Inver Park in recent years and I commend them totally for that.
Larne have been a breath of fresh air and qualifying for Europe in the last two seasons is just reward for everything they have achieved. They have turned a football club into a real hub for their community.
However, the loss of several quality players such as Davy McDaid, Ronan Hale, Lee Lynch and — soon — Kofi Balmer leaves big holes to fill.
Every team requires surgery and a rebuild at times and the acquisition of Leroy Millar is a fantastic one, but Hale and McDaid scored a lot of goals for Larne and somehow they will have to find those goals from somewhere else now.
It’s definitely looking like a period of transition and the Inver Park faithful will have to be patient, so I think mid-table for Larne this season.
Key player: Leroy Millar
Prediction: 5th
LINFIELD
It’s really hard to see past the Champions retaining the title they won last time out.
Although I felt that the Blues stuttered at times last season, they still had what it takes and their strength of character to be better than the rest shone through when it mattered most.
The scary news for the rest is that I consider this year’s Linfield team to be even better than last season’s and the reason for that is simple.
I have been really impressed by the club’s new signings which have been of the stellar variety. They always say the best time to strengthen your squad is when you’re ahead and new arrivals like Joel Cooper and Robbie McDaidare simply top-quality additions.
With so much class and experience in this Linfield squad, it’s actually easier to look for weaknesses rather than strengths and, quite honestly, I cannot see one so it’s the Blues for me again.
Key player: Chris Shields
Prediction: Champions
NEWRY CITY
Well done to the border club for winning promotion back to the Premiership and it’s great to see them rubbing shoulders with the big boys again.
However, with promotion comes that automatic favourites label for instant relegation. It always comes with the territory, although I have no doubt the Newry men will be out to prove the doubters wrong.
I feel there are enough old heads at the Showgrounds who will know only too well that the gap in class between the Championship and the Premiership is considerable, so they will have to up their game even more if they aren’t to suffer that all too familiar yo-yo syndrome of repeated promotion and relegation.
Key player: Noel Healy
Prediction: 12th
PORTADOWN
The Ports are most definitely a club on a journey in the hope of getting back to where they once were, winning Premiership titles and Cups in regular fashion, but that won’t be easy.
Those memorable times are now but a distant memory and over the last number of years, the Shamrock Park club have been to hell and back.
Last season they only just managed to avoid relegation by virtue of the Play-Offs, so to continue their journey they will have to hit the ground running this time.
Consolidation has to be the Reds’ key goal this season and that in itself will indicate yet more improvement.
