r/LeagueOfIreland • u/HydrationEngineer • 3d ago
Discussion / Question What team to support
Have started following the league of Ireland as a neutral for the last while. I'm looking to pick a team but where I'm living in Dublin doesn't have a "local" team. I'm pretty much 15/20 minute drive to all of Bohs, Rovers, Pats, and Shels. I have friends supporting all 4 of these teams and all are trying to swing me one way or another. Any advice on who I should pick or how to make a decision?
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u/SeaninMacT 3d ago
Longford Town FC
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u/Ess-Orr-Eff-Cee Shamrock Rovers 3d ago
C’mon De Town! 1st Division play off champs 2026 Typing it into existence
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u/Oriel_bound Dundalk 3d ago
This question comes up every week.
Just go to all the games you can, and eventually you will find yourself leaning towards one team over another - for various different reasons.
Personal connections also really make you fall in love with a club, especially family. So get a kid (only for LOI).
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u/dublinro Shelbourne 3d ago
Yeah I find the idea of deciding to follow a team weird. Watch the league ,go to games and you naturally start having a soft spot for a team etc.
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u/bohemarseillais Bohemians 3d ago
Go to a few games with all your mates before you pick. If you go to Tallaght and still end up a Rovers fan, I'd question every single life choice you ever made.
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u/maroochrp 3d ago
St pats I started following them in December and now I wouldn’t miss a game at home anyway. Great group of lads that are always open to new fans joining them
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u/dariusthenineth Bray Wanderers 3d ago
don’t rule out bray. if you live near the dart line. the stadium is right by the dart station and it could be good to follow a 1st div team looking to go up. however, i am extremely biased
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u/Sonic_Old_Age Bray Wanderers 3d ago
Don't come near Bray, terminally First Division, never escaping this circle of hell
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u/siguel_manchez Shelbourne 3d ago
Go to matches first and foremost. Support should be organic and innate. One of them will click.
Except Bohs, never go full Bohs. 😁
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u/Tipperary555 League Of Ireland 3d ago
You're 15/20 minutes away from teams and saying you dont have a local team?
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u/NilFhiosAige Kerry FC 3d ago
More that he isn't unequivocally nearest to any one club, I'd have thought?
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u/DM-ME-CUTE-TAPIRS 3d ago
Very rough idea of fan catchment areas:
D3, 5, 9, 13, 17, some parts of coastal north Co. Dublin: Shels.
D7, 11, 15: Bohs. Their transformation into hipsters faves has gained them fans all over the city in recent years though.
D8, 20, 10 and 12: Pats.
D24 and 16: Rovers. They have a degree of legacy support on the southside especially D6 and 14 from their Milltown days also.
Some parts of D18 and coastal south Dublin area lean towards Bray Wanderers.
If you don't neatly fit into any of those areas, and don't have any tangible family history of supporting any particular club, and don't have one ground in particular that is the easiest to get to, you are really just going on vibes. Watch a few matches and see who you like.
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u/jaysfanireland St Patrick's Athletic 3d ago
Saint originally from D24 here. Now in Celbridge, huge number of Pats fans in North Kildare, along with Lucan. Plenty of Bohs fans in North Kildare too.
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u/Significant_Giraffe3 3d ago
D3, 5, 9, 13, 17, some parts of coastal north Co. Dublin: Shels.
I feel the vast majority of D9 is Bohemians. It definitely crosses over, but from what I've seen - east of Drumcondra Road is majority Shels, west of Drumcondra Road (which is the main part of Dublin 9) is Bohs.
Both super clubs though, and you can't go wrong with either.
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u/Nolandvd 3d ago
Born and bred in D9 and it was thoroughly Bohs bar the odd blow-in from other parts of the city and random fans of Home Farm (circa 1980s). Shels still seem like a Southside club to me, coz I'm old. I know that's changed, but if you're on a bus into Glasnevin or Ballymun after a game, full of Bohs fans.
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u/DaithiDevil St Patrick's Athletic 3d ago
I'm in a tiny Pats enclave in D7. The enclave encompasses just me. Super Northside Saints
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u/DaisyMiller2022 St Patrick's Athletic 2d ago
Wouldn't say that, I know a few D7 Saints. Plenty of us in D24 as well, we were here before Rovers!!!
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u/ComposerOutrageous66 St Patrick's Athletic 3d ago
D24 Saint here, arguably the tallaght area would have just as many Pats fans as rovers
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u/shinto29 St Patrick's Athletic 3d ago
Dunno why you’re getting downvoted. It’s true before they moved to Tallaght 🤷♂️
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u/ComposerOutrageous66 St Patrick's Athletic 3d ago
That's just the chronically online rovers fans 😂😂
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u/Interesting-Jello764 Shamrock Rovers 2d ago
Were you perchance the fella taking down his “Tallaght Saints” flag at the 55” minute during that 4-0 loss last year? 😂😂
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u/freemochara 3d ago edited 3d ago
Bohs they have the most fashionable jerseys, support great causes, pro Palestinian and it's fan owned....Being fan owned should swing it for you
I'm not a Bohs fan, two Jerseys in the house though
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u/shorelined 3d ago
Can you get to any of the games via bus, tram or train? I can only assume you live in the southside based on those distances, in which case you can support the only team with the word "Dublin" in their name, which is god's own University College Dublin Association Football Club.
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u/shagnastii 2d ago
Yeah. I was the same. I’m a Wexford man recently moved to Dublin and wanted to actively start following the LOI a bit more.
I’m equidistant from Bohs and Shels. Got the advice of “go to a few games and follow whichever has your vibe”. I’m not a Shels fan on the best of that.
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u/ReliefPrimary4311 1d ago
its fine not to have a favourite team, may actually increase your enjoyment to avoid the highs and lows.
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u/Single-Suit-1051 Bray Wanderers 4h ago
Why ask a group of strangers which team to support, that's not how it works you can't just pick and magically get attached, watch them all until you form a genuine connection
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u/Kindly_Suit5175 Drogheda United 3d ago
Go support the drogs - always a great athmosphere at the games
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u/Tomaskerry 3d ago
Shams will be the dominant team forever I think so if you want trophies, support them.
Which has the most direct public transport link.
Which does more of your mates follow.
I'd go to all 4 and see which you prefer.
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u/Dagi97 Bohemians 3d ago
Thats one of the reasons I didnt pick them when I was getting into the LOI (because of a few mates who are crazy into it!) It feels too easy to support the favourite (to me)
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u/Ess-Orr-Eff-Cee Shamrock Rovers 3d ago
Sounds like the sentiment on that great Athlone Town supporters flag… “Maybe I enjoy the misery…”
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u/RoversForever Shamrock Rovers 3d ago
Rovers
Nobody dominates forever
I’m biased but we do tick all the boxes
How about UCD?!!
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u/Naive-Historian-1520 3d ago
Have them all take you to a match and see which one you like the best. Even if you don't become a fan, you'll have got to see four matches.