2018 League of Ireland First Division

League of Ireland First Division
Season2018
Dates23 February – 22 September 2018
ChampionsUCD
PromotedUCD
Finn Harps
Matches played135
Goals scored397 (2.94 per match)
Top goalscorerDavid O'Sullivan (Shelbourne, 15 goals)
Biggest home winShelbourne 7–0 Athlone Town (6 April 2018); Wexford 7–0 Athlone Town (20 April 2018)
Biggest away winWexford 0–8 UCD (7 May 2018)
Highest scoringWexford 1–8 Drogheda United (16 March 2018)
Total attendance59,946
Average attendance422[1]
2017
2019
All statistics correct as of 2 November 2018.

The 2018 League of Ireland First Division season was the 34th season of the League of Ireland First Division. The league began on 23 February 2018 and concluded on 22 September 2018. Contrary to the previous editions, this tournament had 10 teams, which was the largest number since the 2011 season, and saw the return of the promotion/relegation playoffs.

Overview

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The First Division has 10 teams. Each team plays each other three times for a total of 27 matches in the season.

On 22 December 2016, the FAI announced that the league would be restructured into two 10-team divisions from the 2018 season onwards, one of the recommendations made in the 2015 Conroy Report.[2]

Teams

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Locations of Dublin First Division teams

Stadia and locations

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Team Location Stadium
Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium
Cabinteely Cabinteely Stradbrook Road
Cobh Ramblers Cobh St. Colman's Park
Drogheda United Drogheda United Park
Finn Harps Ballybofey Finn Park
Galway United Galway Eamonn Deacy Park
Longford Town Longford City Calling Stadium
Shelbourne Drumcondra Tolka Park
UCD Belfield UCD Bowl
Wexford Crossabeg Ferrycarrig Park

Personnel and kits

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Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Athlone Town Republic of Ireland Aaron Callaghan Republic of Ireland Niall Scullion Nike Nitro Sports
Cabinteely Republic of Ireland Pat Devlin Republic of Ireland Daire Doyle Uhlsport Geoghegan Home Extensions
Cobh Ramblers Republic of Ireland Stephen Henderson England Paul Hunt Legea Tony & William O'Shea Fuels Rushbrooke
Drogheda United Republic of Ireland Tim Clancy Republic of Ireland Sean Thornton CX+ Sport Scotch Hall Shopping Center
Finn Harps Republic of Ireland Ollie Horgan Republic of Ireland Ciaran Coll Joma McGettigan Group
Galway United Republic of Ireland Shane Keegan Republic of Ireland Colm Horgan Uhlsport Comer Property Management
Longford Town England Neale Fenn Republic of Ireland Kevin O'Connor Legea City Calling
Shelbourne Republic of Ireland Owen Heary Republic of Ireland Dean Delaney Macron Dublin City University
UCD Republic of Ireland Collie O'Neill Republic of Ireland Gary O'Neill O'Neills O'Neills
Wexford Republic of Ireland Damian Locke Republic of Ireland Craig McCabe Bodibro Premier Tickets

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 UCD (C, P) 27 17 6 4 59 29 +30 57 Promotion to League of Ireland Premier Division
2 Finn Harps (Q) 27 16 6 5 46 22 +24 54 Qualification for Promotion play-offs
3 Shelbourne (Q) 27 13 11 3 52 21 +31 50
4 Drogheda United (Q) 27 14 7 6 50 27 +23 49
5 Longford Town 27 13 6 8 54 36 +18 45
6 Galway United 27 10 7 10 41 36 +5 37
7 Cabinteely 27 9 3 15 32 45 −13 30
8 Cobh Ramblers 27 8 5 14 24 41 −17 29
9 Wexford 27 4 5 18 23 59 −36 17
10 Athlone Town 27 1 4 22 16 81 −65 7
Source: SSE Airtricity League, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[3]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated

Results

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Top scorers

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As of 22 September 2018
Rank Player Club Goals[4]
1 Republic of Ireland David O'Sullivan Shelbourne 15
2 Republic of Ireland Georgie Kelly UCD 14
3 Republic of Ireland Dylan McGlade Longford Town 13
4 Republic of Ireland Sean Brennan Drogheda United 11
Republic of Ireland James English Shelbourne
6 Republic of Ireland Conor Barry Galway United 10
7 Republic of Ireland Eoin McCormack Galway United 9
Republic of Ireland Gary O'Neill UCD
Republic of Ireland Mikey Place Finn Harps
Republic of Ireland Sam Verdon Longford Town

Play-Offs

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The second, third and fourth placed First Division teams played off to decide who would play Limerick, the ninth placed team from the Premier Division. The winner of this play off would play in the 2019 Premier Division.[5]

Semi-finals
5 October 2018 Drogheda United 0–1 Shelbourne United Park
19:45 Report English 25'
8 October 2018 Shelbourne 1–2
(2-4 p)
Drogheda United Tolka Park
19:45 Evans 77' Report Brennan 33'
Lyons 62'
Penalties
O'Sullivan soccer ball with check mark
Evans soccer ball with red X
Fitzgerald soccer ball with red X
Farrell soccer ball with check mark
soccer ball with check mark Lyons
soccer ball with check mark Brennan
soccer ball with check mark Gallagher
soccer ball with red X McCaffrey
soccer ball with check markDoyle

2–2 on aggregate. Drogheda United win on penalties.

Finals
12 October 2018 Drogheda United 1–1 Finn Harps United Park
19:45 Kelly 13' Report Boyle 67'
19 October 2018 Finn Harps 2–0 Drogheda United Finn Park
19:45 Kavanagh 18'
Boyle 67'
Report

Finn Harps win 3–1 on aggregate.

Relegation-promotion match
29 October 2018 Finn Harps 1–0 Limerick Finn Park
19:45 GMT McCourt 35' (pen.) Report Attendance: 2,379
Referee: Robert Harvey
2 November 2018 Limerick 0–2 Finn Harps Markets Field
19:45 GMT Report Timlin 45+1'
Boyle 80'
Referee: Graham Kelly

Finn Harps won 3–0 on aggregate and were promoted to 2019 Premier Division. Limerick were relegated to the 2019 First Division.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "From the Archives - extratime.ie League of Ireland Attendance Report 2019". extratime. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  2. ^ Mackey, Liam (23 December 2016). "It's three down, one up for LOI season". The Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  3. ^ "First Division 2017 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Top Scorers - 2018 League of Ireland First Division".
  5. ^ "Ireland 2018". RSSSF. Retrieved 7 October 2018.