1997–98 Irish League

Irish League Premier Division
Season1997–98
ChampionsCliftonville
3rd Irish title
RelegatedArds
Matches played180
Goals scored469 (2.61 per match)
Top goalscorerVinny Arkins (22)

The 1997–98 Irish League was the 97th edition of the Irish League, the highest level of league competition in Northern Irish football. The league consisted of 10 teams, and Cliftonville won the championship.

Premier Division

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Location of teams in the 1997–98 Irish League Premier Division
Location of the Belfast-based teams in the 1997–98 Irish League Premier Division

League standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or Relegation
1 Cliftonville (C) 36 20 8 8 49 37 +12 68 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Linfield 36 17 13 6 50 19 +31 64 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first qualifying round
3 Portadown 36 17 9 10 50 38 +12 60
4 Glentoran 36 17 8 11 52 34 +18 59 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup qualifying round
5 Ballymena United 36 14 9 13 55 55 0 51
6 Crusaders 36 13 12 11 51 51 0 51
7 Coleraine 36 11 10 15 41 48 −7 43
8 Glenavon 36 9 12 15 47 56 −9 39
9 Omagh Town 36 7 10 19 43 68 −25 31 Promotion/relegation play-off and Intertoto Cup first round
10 Ards (R) 36 4 11 21 31 63 −32 23 Relegation to the First Division
Source: Irish League Archive
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results

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First Division

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Irish League First Division
ChampionsNewry Town
PromotedNewry Town
Matches played112
Goals scored350 (3.13 per match)

League standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or Promotion
1 Newry Town (C, P) 28 20 5 3 61 18 +43 65 Promotion to the Premier Division
2 Bangor 28 18 4 6 51 26 +25 58 Qualification for the promotion/relegation play-off
3 Distillery 28 15 6 7 48 34 +14 51
4 Dungannon Swifts 28 14 6 8 63 49 +14 48
5 Ballyclare Comrades 28 13 3 12 47 45 +2 42
6 Larne 28 8 2 18 30 58 −28 26
7 Limavady United 28 5 3 20 29 61 −32 18
8 Carrick Rangers 28 3 3 22 21 59 −38 12
Source: rsssf.com
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Promotion/relegation play-off

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Omagh Town, who finished in the relegation play-off place, faced Bangor, the 2nd-placed team in the First Division, in a two-legged tie for a place in next season's Irish League Premier Division.

Bangor0 – 5Omagh Town

Omagh Town1 – 0Bangor

Omagh Town won 6–0 on aggregate

References

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