Sports Editor Adam Schmitz gives his insight into why this year is the year to finally support your local and get involved with the League of Ireland
2024 was the most exciting year for domestic Irish football in a long time. With Damien Duff’s Shelbourne clinching the title on the final day of the season, Shamrock Rovers getting through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Conference League and underdogs Drogheda United claiming the FAI Cup, excitement is set to continue growing as we enter the new year. Here’s why 2025 is the year to jump on the flare-filled, VAR-free bandwagon.
Skyrocketing Attendances
Fans of the league have long been complaining about the lack of funding going into league infrastructure - and it's for good reason. 2024 saw total attendances at Irish football matches reach beyond one million attendees for the first time, and it has been common practice this Christmas for clubs to open waiting lists for season ticket sales due to extreme demand.
The league is struggling to keep up with the huge amount of fans who want to watch
However, stadiums are finally improving, with Shamrock Rovers opening a new stand and Finn Harps beginning development on a brand new stadium. Still, the league is struggling to keep up with the huge amount of fans who want to watch the league - so much so that Bohemians have moved their opening weekend clash with Rovers to the Aviva Stadium. It’s set to be another record breaking year with better atmospheres than ever.
Big Transfers
There’s been high profile transfers both in and out of the league throughout the offseason. Former UCD AFC playmaker Neil Farrugia earned a move to Barnsley last week, after his Shamrock Rovers teammate Johnny Kenny completed his loan to Celtic after impressing in the Conference League towards the end of 2024. A number of high quality players from the English Football league have made their way to Ireland over the last few weeks too, with Swansea’s Evan Watts joining Galway United and Bolton’s Conor Carty resigning for St Patrick's Athletic. Carty joins to replace Pats’ striker Mason Melia, who’s heavily rumoured to be heading to Tottenham Hotspur in the coming weeks for a league record of €2 million. The league’s European coefficient ranking continues to rise and the quality of players this season may just be an all time high.
Title Race
Without a doubt, the biggest reason to start supporting the League of Ireland in 2025 is the tense level of competition that we’re going to see over the next 36 gameweeks. Shamrock Rovers have dominated the league this decade and as their outstanding performance in the Conference League showed, their quality is just as high as ever. As the league came to an end in 2024 however, it wasn't The Hoops’ with their hands on the trophy - it was a Damien-Duff-lead Shelbourne FC. So who goes into the 2025 season as favourites? Currently, neither of them. Following his removal from his role as manager of the Irish Men’s National Team, Stephen Kenny took the helm at St Patrick’s Athletic and his side’s phenomenal end to 2024 sees them enter the new season as favourites. Competition will be close the whole way down the table too, so there’s no doubt that following the domestic league this season will be a rollercoaster for any fan.
Supporting UCD AFC
Having a team based right on campus is the stuff of dreams for football fans around the world and 2025 is the year to start spending your Friday nights in the UCD Bowl. The Students came close to gaining promotion back to the Premier Division at the end of last season, with the silver lining of that disappointment being that remaining in the first division means results may go well in the UCD Bowl. Carl Lennox has joined the side from Shamrock Rovers after spending last season on loan in Wexford, with Willie O’Connor hoping he can aid in the promotion charge. The season kicks off right here in the UCD Bowl on February 14. Take the plunge into what promises to be a thrilling year of Irish football. Grab a mate and get your ticket and a burger at the ground - all for less than the price of three pints!