Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Irish Premier Division match.
At the beginning of the third round of fixtures, the two clubs are at opposite ends of the Premier Division standings. Nonetheless, the likelihood of a win for Drogheda United is not substantially higher than that of Cork City, who sit at the foot of the standings.
Cork City
Cork City cruised to the First Division title last season, but they have found the transition to the top tier much more challenging. Realistically, their best-case scenario is securing a spot in the relegation play-off. The hosts are winless in their last nine league matches and have only two victories to their name across more than two full rounds of fixtures. One of those came as early as the second round. In fact, their opening two home games remain their most productive, yielding four points. That early promise quickly faded, and the team has since been rooted near the bottom of the standings.
Drogheda United
Last season, Drogheda United were in a similar situation to Cork City. After 20 rounds in 2024, they had collected just 16 points and sat second from bottom. They failed to improve on that position and had to fight for survival via a relegation play-off. This campaign, however, has been a different story. After 22 matches, they have already amassed 34 points — matching their total for the entirety of last season. Their objective is now clear: qualification for European competition. Any ambitions of challenging for the title, whether for Drogheda United or any other club, are unrealistic — Shamrock Rovers remain well ahead of the chasing pack.
Cork City vs Drogheda United Prediction
Drogheda United are more than capable of defeating a disjointed Cork City side. The two teams drew 1:1 in Cork back in March, but Drogheda United claimed a 3:2 home win in the second leg in early May. A draw cannot be ruled out, especially as each of Drogheda United’s last three away league games have ended level. That said, the recommendation is to back Drogheda United with a 0 handicap.
