2021 League of Ireland First Division

Last updated

League of Ireland First Division
Season2021
Dates26 March 2021 – 29 October 2021
Champions Shelbourne (2nd title)
Promoted Shelbourne, UCD
Matches played180
Goals scored366 (2.03 per match)
Top goalscorerColm Whelan (18 league goals + 3 playoff goals)
Biggest home win UCD 6-0 Galway United
(13 August 2021)
Biggest away win Wexford 0–6 UCD
(30 April 2021)
Highest scoring Wexford 4-4 Athlone
(21 July 2021)
← 2020
2022 →
All statistics correct as of 30 October 2021.

The 2021 League of Ireland First Division season was the 37th season of the League of Ireland First Division, the second tier of Ireland's association football league. The fixture list was released on 8 February 2021 and the competition commenced on 26 March 2021. [1] Shelbourne were confirmed Champions and promoted to the League of Ireland Premier Division on 1 October 2021. [2]

Contents

Overview

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

Teams

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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

Team changes

Shelbourne and Cork City joined following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2020 season. [3] [4] Drogheda United and Longford Town departed following their promotion from the 2020 First Division. [5] [4]

Additional teams

On 10 November 2020 a newly formed Limerick based club Treaty United announced that they would apply for a 2021 League of Ireland licence. [6] Former Dublin based League of Ireland club St Francis FC and Wexford based Yola FC also both expressed interest in joining for 2021 by the deadline for expressions of interest which was 10 November 2020. An application was made by a brand new entity under the name Dublin County F.C. but did not ultimately materialise. [7] Bray Wanderers and Cabinteely F.C. merged at the end of the season, keeping the name Bray Wanderers. [8]

Stadia and locations

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium 5,000
Bray Wanderers Bray Carlisle Grounds 4,000
Cabinteely Dublin (Cabinteely) Stradbrook Road 1,620
Cobh Ramblers Cobh St. Colman's Park 3,000
Cork City Cork Turners Cross 7,845
Galway United Galway Eamonn Deacy Park 5,000
Shelbourne Dublin (Drumcondra) Tolka Park 3,700
Treaty United Limerick Markets Field 5,000
UCD Dublin (Belfield) UCD Bowl 3,000
Wexford Crossabeg Ferrycarrig Park 2,500

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 Paul Doolin Flag of Ireland.svg Kurtis Byrne Flag of the United States.svg Nike Hayden & Co. Solicitors
Bray Wanderers Flag of Ireland.svg Gary Cronin Flag of Ireland.svg Aaron Barry Flag of England.svg Umbro Matt Britton Carpets
Cabinteely Flag of Ireland.svg Pat Devlin Flag of Ireland.svg Daniel Blackbyrne Flag of the United States.svg Nike Edufit
Cobh Ramblers Flag of Ireland.svg Darren Murphy (interim) Flag of Ireland.svg John Kavanagh Flag of Spain.svg Joma Metropole Hotel
Cork City Flag of Ireland.svg Colin Healy Flag of Ireland.svg Gearoid Morrissey Flag of Germany.svg Adidas University College Cork
Galway United Flag of Ireland.svg John Caulfield Flag of Ireland.svg Conor McCormack Flag of Ireland.svg O'Neill's Comer Property Management
Shelbourne Flag of Ireland.svg Ian Morris Flag of Ireland.svg Luke Byrne Flag of England.svg Umbro Hamptons Homes
Treaty United Flag of Ireland.svg Tommy Barrett Flag of Ireland.svg Jack Lynch Flag of England.svg Umbro UPMC
UCD Flag of Ireland.svg Andy Myler Flag of Ireland.svg Jack Keaney Flag of Ireland.svg O'Neill's O'Neill's
Wexford Flag of Ireland.svg Ian Ryan Flag of Ireland.svg Karl Manahan Flag of Ireland.svg BodibroWallace's Asti

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of
departure		Date of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of
appointment
Wexford Flag of Ireland.svg Brian O'SullivanMutual Consent10 May 2021 [9] 10th Flag of Ireland.svg Ian Ryan15 May 2021 [10]
Cobh Ramblers Flag of Ireland.svg Stuart AshtonSacked22 July 2021 [11] 9th Flag of Ireland.svg Darren Murphy (interim)23 July 2021 [12]
Athlone Town Flag of Ireland.svg Adrian CarberrySacked17 August 2021 [13] 6th Flag of Ireland.svg Paul Doolin 18 August 2021 [14]
Shelbourne Flag of Ireland.svg Ian Morris Mutual Consent29 October 2021 [15] 1st Flag of Ireland.svg Damien Duff 3 November 2021 [16]

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Shelbourne (C, P)2716924923+2657Promotion to League of Ireland Premier Division
2 Galway United 2715663925+1451Qualification to Promotion play-offs
3 UCD (P)2713775538+1746
4 Treaty United 2711973627+942
5 Bray Wanderers 2791083631+537
6 Cork City 2789103728+933
7 Athlone Town 2796123243−1133
8 Cobh Ramblers 2784152546−2128
9 Cabinteely 2781182647−2125
10 Wexford 2763182956−2721
Updated to match(es) played on 29 October 2021. Source: sseairtricityleague, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Results

Matches 1–18

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

Home \ Away ATH BRW CAB COB COR GAL SHE TRU UCD WEX
Athlone Town —0–01–22–10–23–11–31–42–33–0
Bray Wanderers 1–2—3–02–10–00–01–40–04–03–1
Cabinteely 0–10–3—1–01–00–3*1–32–11–20–2
Cobh Ramblers 0–01–11–0—1–00–41–20–20–43–2
Cork City 0–12–20–22–1—1–11–32–31–15–0
Galway United 2–11–21–02–02–3—0–01–12–21–0
Shelbourne 1–03–31–02–22–14–0—2–23–11–0
Treaty United 1–02–01–41–12–10–11–1—2–11–0
UCD 2–20–04–11–20–00–20–03–2—2–1
Wexford 4–40–12–31–20–01–30–11–20–6—
Updated to match(es) played on 7 August 2021. Source: SSE Airtricity League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

*Note Cabinteely v Galway Utd postponed on 9 April 2021 (Galway awarded a 3-0 victory by FAI [17] ).

Matches 19-27

Home \ Away ATH BRW CAB COB COR GAL SHE TRU UCD WEX
Athlone Town ——2–11–2—1–0———0–2
Bray Wanderers 0–1—1–2—0–0——1–0——
Cabinteely ———1–22–20–10–20–2——
Cobh Ramblers —1–2———0–12–0—0–2—
Cork City 3–1——4–0—3–00–2——4–0
Galway United —1–0————3–10–04–12–1
Shelbourne 1–11–1—————1–01–14–0
Treaty United 1–1——3–00–0————1–1
UCD 6–04–35–2—1–0——2–1——
Wexford —4–22–13–1————2–1—
Updated to match(es) played on 29 October 2021. Source: SSE Airtricity League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Top scorers

As of matches played 29 October 2021.
RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Flag of Ireland.svg Colm Whelan UCD 19
2 Flag of Ireland.svg Ryan Brennan Shelbourne 14
3 Flag of Ireland.svg Liam Kerrigan UCD 12
4 Flag of Ireland.svg Cian Murphy Cork City 11
5 Flag of Ireland.svg Kyle Robinson Wexford 9
Flag of Ireland.svg Ruairí Keating Galway United

Play-offs

First Division play-off Semi-finals

First leg

3 November 2021 Treaty United 0–3 UCD Markets Field
19:45 IST Report Tadhg Ryan Soccerball shade.svg34' (o.g.)
Colm Whelan Soccerball shade.svg79', 92'

Second leg

7 November 2021 Galway United 0–1
(0–1 agg.)		 Bray Wanderers Eamonn Deacy Park
17:00 IST Report Brandon Kavanagh Soccerball shade.svg22'Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan
7 November 2021 UCD 1–2
(4–2 agg.)		 Treaty United UCD Bowl
17:00 IST Adam Verdon Soccerball shade.svg67' Report Conor Melody Soccerball shade.svg8'
Anthony O’Donnell Soccerball shade.svg52'		Referee: Alan Patchell

First Division play-off Final

19 November 2021 Bray Wanderers 0–2 UCD Dalymount Park
19:45 IST Report Colm Whelan Soccerball shade.svg68'
Paul Doyle Soccerball shade.svg86'		Referee: Oliver Moran

Promotion/relegation play-off

26 November 2021 Waterford 1–2 UCD Richmond Park
19:45 IST Anthony Wordsworth Soccerball shade.svg5'
Niall O'Keeffe Yellow card.svg 87' Yellow-red card.svg		 Report Dara Keane Soccerball shade.svg26'
Colm Whelan Soccerball shade.svg34'		Referee: Paul McLaughlin

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "SSE Airtricity League 2021 Season First Division Fixture List" (PDF). SSE Airtricity League. SSE Airtricity League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. ↑ Donnelly, Dave. "Poynton penalty sees Shelbourne secure First Division title and top-tier promotion". the42.ie. the42,ie. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Premier Division 2020". SSE Airtricity League. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 Donnelly, Dave (15 November 2020). "Longford earn promotion as Shels' collapse completed". RTE Sport. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "First Division 2020". SSE Airtricity League. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Treaty United to Pursue First Division Licence for 2021 Season". The Limerick Post. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Treaty United, St Francis and Yola FC set to apply for LOI First Division licences". The42.ie. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Bray Wanderers FC and Cabinteely FC to form new force in League of Ireland Football | Cabinteely FC".
  9. ↑ Dempsey, Andrew. "Wexford part company with Brian O'Sullivan". extratime.com. ExtraTime.com. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  10. ↑ Dempsey, Andrew. "Wexford appoint Ian Ryan as new first-team boss". extratime.com. ExtraTime.com. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Fallon, John (22 July 2021). "Stuart Ashton departure in 'best interests' of Cobh Ramblers, club says". Irish Examiner. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  12. ↑ Slattery, Joel (23 July 2021). "Darren Murphy appointed Cobh Ramblers manager until end of the season". Irish Examiner. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Dollery, Paul. "Athlone Town on the hunt for a new manager as Adrian Carberry departs". The42.ie. The42.ie. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  14. ↑ 42 Team, The. "Paul Doolin named new Athlone Town manager". The42.ie. The42.ie. Retrieved 31 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ↑ McDonnell, Daniel. "Ian Morris to depart role as Shelbourne boss despite promotion". Independent.ie. Independent.ie. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "Damien Duff confirmed as Shelbourne manager". rte.ie. rte.ie. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  17. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Aidan. "FAI award Galway United 3-0 win after Cabinteely postponement". independent.ie. Independent Newspapers. Retrieved 14 May 2021.