John Fallon: Where were Rovers' rivals in facile fourth title?

AT ONE STAGE, in mid-August, the heady days from the noughties of final day title deciders were being predicted for this League of Ireland campaign.

Three years in a row between 2004 and 2006 the destiny of the Premier trophy was settled in the last 90 minute series of fixtures - Shelbourne claiming two either side of Cork City's epic triumph over Stephen Kenny's Derry City.

It wasn't merely the feared duopoly of big-spending Derry City and three-in-a-row champions Shamrock Rovers that contributed to the giddiness of expecting a genuine title race heading into the second half of the season.

St Patrick's Athletic, having changed manager in May, were up there challenging while Dundalk displayed signs of emerging from the margins if they gained a measure of consistency. Even Damien Duff's Shelbourne were tipped to mount a late charge on the back of takeover investment.

Gradually and eventually, one by one, Rovers picked off the competition to emulate their team of the 1980s. Separating them from the predecessors was Stephen Bradley, the first manager to oversee the four title-winning teams on the bounce.

By far the toughest of the quadruple, he admitted, but the fact they were winless in the first six matches – a sixth of the season – and still retained their mantle with two games to spare is an indictment on those trailing behind.

Not so much the chasing pack but a batch of pretenders, none of whom could dislodge the Hoops once they gained control of top spot on May 12.

Here we look at the travails of those who dared to dream of disrupting history without delivering when the crunch came.

DERRY CITY:

Billionaire Philip O'Doherty was only up the road amid the FAI Cup celebrations last November when warning