Champions Dundalk facing their biggest test yet

As ever, questions abound on the opening night of the new season but there can be no disputing the big one: can the best team in the country succeed without the best player in the country?

While it would be grossly unfair to Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk to suggest the champions and cup-holders were a one-man band, the loss of a player as exceptional as Richie Towell is hardly something any club could expect to take entirely in its stride.

A shelf full of awards and 29 goals last season testified to Towell’s pre-eminence in the SSE Airtricity League and, while Robbie Benson and, in particular, Patrick McEleney, are quality additions to a strong and settled Oriel Park squad, one of the most fascinating aspects of the new campaign will be to see how the Lilywhites fare without their talisman as they go in search of three-in-a-row.

One thing’s for sure, manager Kenny won’t be looking over his shoulder: at last week’s league launch in the Aviva he briefly noted how there were four trophies on display when the squad posed for their official 2016 photo, before quickly adding: “But that’s all consigned to history now.”

Indeed, one of those trophies — the President’s Cup — has already gone south, Cork City upping the ante in their recent rivalry with Dundalk by beating them in the new season’s curtain-raiser at Turner’s Cross last Saturday.

But even after that psychological boost, City manager John Caulfield is still inclined to regard the reigning champions as, once again, the team to beat. “Ultimately, will the team that finishes ahead of Dundalk win the league?” he asks. “If you were a betting guy, you’d say, probably.”

A new-look Cork City, a similarly revamped St Patrick’s Athletic, and a more modestly-tweaked Shamrock Rovers will be expected to mount the biggest challenges, with perhaps Bohemians not too far behind .

For those looking to find a Leicester City in the pack, there will be close scrutiny of Mick Cooke’s major overhaul at Bray to see if the gamble pays off.

New managers and new brooms at Sligo Rovers and Derry City make the north-west a hotbed of intrigue, while it’s stating the obvious to suggest Wexford Youths and, in particular, Finn Harps will have it all to do to retain their top-flight status at the first time of asking.

Harps, of course, road-blocked Limerick’s late, great escape bid in a dramatic promotion/relegation play-off last season but the Shannonsiders will be hot favourites to bounce straight back up as First Division winners.

Opening weekend fixtures:

(Kick off 7.45pm, unless otherwise stated).

TONIGHT:

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division: Cork City v Bohemians, Turner’s Cross (Live on RTÉ2); Finn Harps v Derry City, Finn Park (8pm); St. Patrick’s Athletic v Galway United, Richmond Park; Wexford Youths v Longford Town, Ferrycarrig Park (8pm).

SSE Airtricity League First Division:

Cabinteely v Athlone Town, Stradbrook; Drogheda United v Waterford United, United Park; Shelbourne v Cobh Ramblers, Tolka Park.

TOMORROW:

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division: Bray Wanderers v Dundalk, Carlisle Grounds; Sligo Rovers v Shamrock Rovers, The Showgrounds.

SSE Airtricity League First Division:

Limerick v UCD, Markets Field (6.30pm).

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