2016 League of Ireland Premier Division

League of Ireland Premier Division

Season	2016
Champions	Dundalk (12th title)
Relegated	Longford Town Wexford Youths
Champions League	Dundalk
Europa League	Cork City Derry City Shamrock Rovers
Matches played	198
Goals scored	511 (2.58 per match)
Top goalscorer	Sean Maguire (18 goals)
Biggest home win	Cork City 6–0 Longford Town (14 March 2016) [1]
Biggest away win	Finn Harps 0–7 Dundalk (13 May 2016) [2]
Highest scoring	Wexford Youths 5–4 Galway United (14 October 2016) [3]
Highest attendance	5,453 [4] Cork City 1–0 Dundalk F.C.
Total attendance	291,258
Average attendance	1,471 [5]
← 2015 2017 →

The 2016 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 32nd season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The league began on 4 March 2016 ^[6] and concluded on 28 October 2016; the relegation play-offs followed on 31 October and 4 November 2016. The prize fund for the SSE Airtricity League Premier and First Divisions was €475,500 for the 2016 season. ^[7]

Dundalk successfully defended its title for the third consecutive season on 23 October after a 2–1 win against Bohemians. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Overview

The Premier Division consisted of 12 teams. Each team played each other three times, a total of 33 matches in the season.

Wexford Youths, the 2015 First Division champion, entered the top level for the first time in their history. Finn Harps were promoted after winning the promotion/relegation playoffs.

The 12 clubs competed for €371,500 in prize money ranging from €110,000 for the winners to €17,000 for the team finishing bottom of the table. ^[11]

Teams

Bray Wanderers

Cork City

Derry City

Finn Harps

Dublin

Dundalk

Galway United

Longford Town

Sligo Rovers

Wexford Youths

Dublin teams
Bohemians
Shamrock Rovers
St Patrick's Athletic

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Locations of 2016 Premier Division teams

Bohemians

St Patrick's Athletic

Shamrock Rovers

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Locations of 2016 Premier Division teams

Team	Home city/suburb	Stadium
Bohemians	Phibsborough, Dublin	Dalymount Park
Bray Wanderers	Bray	Carlisle Grounds
Cork City	Cork	Turner's Cross
Derry City	Derry	Brandywell Stadium
Dundalk	Dundalk	Oriel Park
Finn Harps	Ballybofey	Finn Park
Galway United	Galway	Eamonn Deacy Park
Longford Town	Longford	City Calling Stadium
Shamrock Rovers	Tallaght, Dublin	Tallaght Stadium
Sligo Rovers	Sligo	The Showgrounds
St Patrick's Athletic	Inchicore, Dublin	Richmond Park
Wexford Youths	Crossabeg	Ferrycarrig Park

Personnel and kits

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
Bohemians	Keith Long	Derek Pender	Hummel	Mr Green
Bray Wanderers	Harry Kenny	Conor Kenna	Nike	Sonas Bathrooms
Cork City	John Caulfield	John Dunleavy	Nike	Clonakilty Sausages
Derry City	Kenny Shiels	Ryan McBride	Hummel	Diamond Corrugated
Dundalk	Stephen Kenny	Stephen O'Donnell	CX+ Sport	Fyffes
Finn Harps	Ollie Horgan	Kevin McHugh	Legea	McGettigan Group
Galway United	Tommy Dunne	Ryan Connolly	Uhlsport	Comer Property Management
Longford Town	Tony Cousins	Mark Salmon	Macron	City Calling
Shamrock Rovers	Pat Fenlon	Conor Kenna	New Balance	Pepper
Sligo Rovers	Dave Robertson	Gavin Peers	Joma	Volkswagen
St Patrick's Athletic	Liam Buckley	Ger O'Brien	Umbro	Clune Construction Company L.P.
Wexford Youths	Shane Keegan	Graham Doyle	Bodibro	SBOBET

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Dundalk (C)	33	25	2	6	73	28	+45	77	Qualification for Champions League second qualifying round
2	Cork City	33	21	7	5	65	23	+42	70	Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round [a]
3	Derry City	33	17	11	5	48	29	+19	62
4	Shamrock Rovers	33	16	7	10	46	34	+12	55
5	Sligo Rovers	33	13	10	10	42	35	+7	49
6	Bray Wanderers	33	13	7	13	39	40	−1	46
7	St Patrick's Athletic	33	13	6	14	45	41	+4	45
8	Bohemians	33	12	5	16	30	37	−7	41
9	Galway United	33	10	8	15	44	54	−10	38
10	Finn Harps	33	8	8	17	23	49	−26	32
11	Wexford Youths (R)	33	6	5	22	31	70	−39	23	Qualification for relegation play-offs
12	Longford Town (R)	33	2	8	23	25	71	−46	14	Relegation to League of Ireland First Division

Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored. ^[12]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:

1. Cork City qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2016 FAI Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

Results

Matches 1–22

Teams played each other twice (once at home, once away).

Home \ Away	BOH	BRW	COR	DER	DUN	FHA	GAL	LON	SHM	SLI	StP	WEX
Bohemians	—	0–0	0–1	0–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–4	1–0	5–1	3–3
Bray Wanderers	0–2	—	0–2	0–3	1–3	1–0	1–2	0–0	1–1	4–0	1–0	3–0
Cork City	2–0	4–0	—	2–1	1–0	3–1	5–3	6–0	2–0	1–2	1–0	1–1
Derry City	1–0	2–0	1–0	—	0–5	2–2	2–1	4–0	3–0	0–2	1–1	1–0
Dundalk	2–1	1–0	0–1	1–1	—	3–0	2–1	4–3	1–1	1–0	2–0	3–2
Finn Harps	0–0	1–0	0–1	2–1	0–7	—	1–0	1–0	0–1	3–0	1–2	0–1
Galway United	1–0	4–0	2–2	0–0	1–0	1–0	—	2–2	0–1	1–2	0–3	4–2
Longford Town	0–1	1–1	0–3	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	—	0–2	2–2	0–1	2–4
Shamrock Rovers	3–1	2–0	0–0	0–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–1	—	3–0	0–2	2–0
Sligo Rovers	1–0	0–0	0–0	0–0	0–1	1–1 [a]	1–1	3–0	0–2	—	1–0	4–1
St Patrick's Athletic	3–0	1–2	3–1	0–1	0–4	4–0	1–3	3–3	0–2	1–1	—	4–0
Wexford Youths	0–1	2–0	0–1	1–2	1–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–5	0–1	—

Source: SSE Airtricity League, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:

1. Match abandoned due to floodlight failure. League Director ruled that the score would stand.

Matches 23–33

Teams played each other once.

Home \ Away	BOH	BRW	COR	DER	DUN	FHA	GAL	LON	SHM	SLI	StP	WEX
Bohemians	—	—	—	—	1–2	—	—	1–0	1–0	3–2	—	1–0
Bray Wanderers	2–1	—	4–1	2–2	2–1	—	—	—	—	4–0	2–1	—
Cork City	0–0	—	—	—	—	2–0	—	5–2	3–0	—	3–1	5–0
Derry City	2–1	—	0–0	—	—	—	0–0	—	2–2	2–1	—	—
Dundalk	—	—	2–1	3–1	—	2–0	4–1	—	—	0–3	—	—
Finn Harps	1–0	2–1	—	0–5	—	—	—	0–1	0–2	—	1–1	—
Galway United	2–0	0–2	0–5	—	—	3–2	—	0–0	—	—	—	—
Longford Town	—	0–2	—	2–3	0–3	—	—	—	2–4	—	0–1	—
Shamrock Rovers	—	0–0	—	—	0–3	—	4–2	—	—	—	0–0	3–1
Sligo Rovers	—	—	0–0	—	—	0–0	2–1	1–0	3–2	—	—	5–0
St Patrick's Athletic	0–1	—	—	0–2	5–2	—	1–0	—	—	0–0	—	4–1
Wexford Youths	—	1–3	—	0–0	0–1	0–0	5–4	2–0	—	—	—	—

Source: SSE Airtricity League, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion/relegation playoffs

Wexford Youths, the eleventh-placed team from the Premier Division took part in a two-legged play-off against Drogheda United, the winners of the 2016 First Division play-off, to decide who will play in the 2017 Premier Division.

First leg

Wexford Youths v Drogheda United

31 October 2016 (2016-10-31)	Wexford Youths	2–0	Drogheda United	Crossabeg
19:45 GMT	Furlong 66' Chin 90+1'	Report		Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park Attendance: 616 Referee: Raymond Matthews

Second leg

Drogheda United v Wexford Youths

4 November 2016 (2016-11-04)	Drogheda United	3–0 (3–2 agg.)	Wexford Youths	Drogheda
19:45 GMT	Brennan 45+1' Farragher 58' Thornton 78' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: United Park Referee: Graham Kelly

Drogheda United are promoted to the 2017 Premier Division; Wexford Youths are relegated to the 2017 First Division.

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals [13]
1	Sean Maguire	Cork City	18
2	Rory Patterson	Derry City	17
3	David McMillan	Dundalk	16
4	Vincent Faherty	Galway United	12
5	Conan Byrne	St Patrick's Athletic	11
6	Raffaele Cretaro	Sligo Rovers	10
	Kurtis Byrne	Bohemians	10
	Christy Fagan	St Patrick's Athletic	10
	Gary McCabe	Shamrock Rovers	10
10	Daryl Horgan	Dundalk	9

See also

• 2016 FAI Cup
• 2016 League of Ireland Cup
• 2016 League of Ireland First Division

References

1. "CORK CITY VS. LONGFORD TOWN 6 - 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
2. "FINN HARPS VS. DUNDALK 0 - 7". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
3. "WEXFORD YOUTHS VS. GALWAY UNITED 5 - 4". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
4. "League of Ireland Attendances 2016 - The Final Story (Updated)". extra time. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
5. "League of Ireland Attendances 2016 - The Final Story (Updated)". extratime. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
6. "2016 season to kick-off on March 4". SSE Airtricity League. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
7. "Breakdown of 2016 SSE Airtricity League Prize-Money". SSE Airtricity League. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
8. "Three-in-a-row for Dundalk as Kenny's men wrap up Premier Division title". The 42. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
9. "Dundalk are crowned the Airtricity League Premier Division champions for the third time in a row". Irish Independent. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
10. "Dundalk crowned champions after beating Bohemians". RTÉ Sport. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
11. "Breakdown of 2016 SSE Airtricity League Prize-Money". SSE Airtricity League. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
12. "PREMIER DIVISION 2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
13. "Member associations - Republic of Ireland - League  – UEFA.com" . Retrieved 8 July 2016.

External links

• Official website
• Full Results and Fixtures