2018 League of Ireland First Division

Last updated

League of Ireland First Division
Season2018
Dates23 February – 22 September 2018
Champions UCD
Promoted UCD
Finn Harps
Matches played135
Goals scored397 (2.94 per match)
Top goalscorerDavid O'Sullivan (Shelbourne, 15 goals)
Biggest home win Shelbourne 7–0 Athlone Town (6 April 2018); Wexford 7–0 Athlone Town (20 April 2018)
Biggest away win Wexford 0–8 UCD (7 May 2018)
Highest scoring Wexford 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.

Contents

Overview

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

Ireland adm location map.svg
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Dublin
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Dublin teams
Cabinteely
Shelbourne
UCD
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Locations of the First Division teams
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UCD
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Locations of Dublin First Division teams

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadium
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

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

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Athlone Town Flag of Ireland.svg Aaron Callaghan Flag of Ireland.svg Niall Scullion Nike Nitro Sports
Cabinteely Flag of Ireland.svg Pat Devlin Flag of Ireland.svg Daire Doyle Uhlsport Geoghegan Home Extensions
Cobh Ramblers Flag of Ireland.svg Stephen Henderson Flag of England.svg Paul HuntLegeaTony & William O'Shea Fuels Rushbrooke
Drogheda United Flag of Ireland.svg Tim Clancy Flag of Ireland.svg Sean Thornton CX+ SportScotch Hall Shopping Center
Finn Harps Flag of Ireland.svg Ollie Horgan Flag of Ireland.svg Ciaran Coll Joma McGettigan Group
Galway United Flag of Ireland.svg Shane Keegan Flag of Ireland.svg Colm Horgan Uhlsport Comer Property Management
Longford Town Flag of England.svg Neale Fenn Flag of Ireland.svg Kevin O'Connor LegeaCity Calling
Shelbourne Flag of Ireland.svg Owen Heary Flag of Ireland.svg Dean Delaney Macron Dublin City University
UCD Flag of Ireland.svg Collie O'Neill Flag of Ireland.svg Gary O'Neill O'Neills O'Neills
Wexford Flag of Ireland.svg Damian Locke Flag of Ireland.svg Craig McCabeBodibroPremier Tickets

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 UCD (C, P)2717645929+3057Promotion to League of Ireland Premier Division
2 Finn Harps (Q)2716654622+2454Qualification to Promotion play-offs
3 Shelbourne (Q)27131135221+3150
4 Drogheda United (Q)2714765027+2349
5 Longford Town 2713685436+1845
6 Galway United 27107104136+537
7 Cabinteely 2793153245−1330
8 Cobh Ramblers 2785142441−1729
9 Wexford 2745182359−3617
10 Athlone Town 2714221681−657
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

Top scorers

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

Play-Offs

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 Soccerball shade.svg25'
8 October 2018 Shelbourne 1–2
(2-4 p)		 Drogheda United Tolka Park
19:45Evans Soccerball shade.svg77' Report Brennan Soccerball shade.svg33'
Lyons Soccerball shade.svg62'
Penalties
O'Sullivan Soccerball shad check.svg
Evans Soccerball shade cross.svg
Fitzgerald Soccerball shade cross.svg
Farrell Soccerball shad check.svg		Soccerball shad check.svg Lyons
Soccerball shad check.svg Brennan
Soccerball shad check.svg Gallagher
Soccerball shade cross.svg McCaffrey
Soccerball shad check.svgDoyle

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

Finals
12 October 2018 Drogheda United 1–1 Finn Harps United Park
19:45Kelly Soccerball shade.svg13' Report Boyle Soccerball shade.svg67'
19 October 2018 Finn Harps 2–0 Drogheda United Finn Park
19:45Kavanagh Soccerball shade.svg18'
Boyle Soccerball shade.svg67'		 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 Soccerball shade.svg35' (pen.) Report Attendance: 2,379
Referee: Robert Harvey
2 November 2018 Limerick 0–2 Finn Harps Markets Field
19:45 GMT Report Timlin Soccerball shade.svg45+1'
Boyle Soccerball shade.svg80'		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

  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.