Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Irish Premier Division match.
Sligo Rovers finished above Drogheda United last season, while Drogheda United narrowly avoided relegation. This time, the situation has flipped. Sligo Rovers are now in the relegation zone, while Drogheda United currently occupy third place. The question is: where did it all go wrong for Sligo Rovers, and is there still time to recover?
Drogheda United
To begin with, Sligo Rovers must get past Drogheda United, a task that’s become significantly more difficult than it was a year ago. The turnaround for Drogheda United began after their national cup triumph in November 2024. The team started to rebuild ahead of their European campaign, though the squad remains less costly than Sligo Rovers’ lineup. Drogheda United have enjoyed defensive stability this season, conceding just one goal per game on average. That said, Shamrock Rovers did breach their back line twice in the last outing to claim the win.
Sligo Rovers
Sligo Rovers have only managed to overcome mid-table teams not competing for honours this term. Over the last six matches, they have recorded just two wins, losing the other four. Both victories came by 1:0 scorelines—against seventh-placed Galway United on 16 May and eighth-placed Waterford FC on 14 June. Three of their defeats came without scoring a single goal.
Drogheda United vs Sligo Rovers Prediction
Drogheda United have enjoyed a dominant home run against Sligo Rovers over the past two seasons. Last August, the team cruised to a 7:0 win, and in February this year, they followed that up with a 3:0 victory. Sligo Rovers managed only a 2:2 draw on their own turf, but the upcoming fixture is set to take place at the home stadium of Drogheda United, where the hosts are once again tipped to come out on top. A clean sheet could well be on the cards.
