League of Ireland: Home Field Advantage

By comparing the difference between a team's average home goal difference and their average away goal difference we can see which teams gain the greatest advantage from playing at home.

Most teams have played five home and five away this season. The results show that Cork and Galway have gained the biggest advantage from playing at home this season so far. Both of Galway's only wins came at home. Cork have been pretty solid at home until they were beaten by Dundalk on Friday.

More interesting than that are the teams that have fared better on the road. It is expected that teams perform better at home - but what about Bohs and Shamrock Rovers.

Shamrock Rovers home form is letting them down in a big way.  They have dropped points to Dundalk, Cork and Bohs at home - while winning all their away matches except Derry. You could argue that they had the tougher games at home - and this is true, for this season so far. But this is not a new trend. Shamrock Rovers home advantage last season was also the second worst in the League.

It is a similar story for Bohs who gained virtually no home advantage last season either. This season so far all their defeats have come at home.

It is hard to see a trend here. Both teams are highly supported. Rovers averaged over 2000 spectators per game last season. Rovers stadium is a relatively new home but its been home for 6 years now and that's long enough for fans and players to become familiar with the pitch/surroundings. And Bohs have been in Dalymount since 1901. They are both Dublin teams which would be a local match for other Dublin teams, this might lessen their home advantage for those matches. But this hasn't stopped Pats making Inchicore their fortress. Besides there are only three Dublin teams this year represented in the Premier Division, which is a bit of a low (with UCD and Shelbourne now in the First).

Is it a factor that both stadiums are relatively empty even with 2000 plus in attendance? In Ireland is there a divide between Dublin and the rest of the country - that could bias 'neutral' referees against the Dublin clubs? Is Tallaght too welcoming to the away team, with their modern facilities and changing rooms?

I don't know the reasons, but two seasons are telling me that there is a real issue there for Bohs and Rovers.

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