Colin Healy: LOITV is giving clubs valuable insight into opposition

Cork City manager Colin Healy: As coaches, you can look at the opposition (on LOITV) and whatever system they are playing; you can look at their strengths and weaknesses'. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Cork City boss Colin Healy believes the addition of streaming platform LOITV has been a huge boost to teams in the League of Ireland as a means of checking out opponents.

LOITV is the streaming platform for the First Division and the Women’s National League — WNL games are accessible free of charge — which has been sold to fans as a separate product to Watch LOI, the streaming product for the Premier Division. The automised system uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to track the play.

The system came in for early criticism from fans, with issues with the quality and reliability of the picture and sound, but most of these appear to have been rectified. And Healy has been using LOITV to get a look at opponents. Speaking ahead of Friday's trip to UCD (7.45pm), Healy said: “I think LOITV helps everybody. As coaches, you can look at the opposition and whatever system they are playing; you can look at their strengths and weaknesses, so I think it helps everybody.

It’s been great for us so far an we can do our video analysis on it.

City face a freescoring Students side with George Heaven, Cory Galvin, and Steven Beattie out. Skipper Gearóid Morrissey returns from injury.

Treaty United host Athlone Town at the Markets Field tonight (7.45pm) looking to bounce back from a first defeat of the season against UCD last weekend.

Bray meet Cabinteely at the Carlisle Grounds (7.30pm). Cabo will be without suspended defender Kevin Knight.

Wexford travel to Galway (7.45pm), boosted by the return of suspended pair Jimmy Corcoran and Sean Martin. Tom O’Connor will be in the away dugout following the exit of manager Brian O’Connor this week.

In the Premier Division, Dundalk’s players have been cleared to face Finn Harps (5.45pm) after they all had negative Covid-19 tests. This follows an unsanctioned trip to Belfast by several members of the squad. The players will be fined by the club. Drogheda United host St Patrick’s Athletic (7.45pm).