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2021 League of Ireland First Division

(Redirected from Draft:2021 League of Ireland First Division)

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]

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

Overview edit

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

Teams edit

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Locations of the First Division teams
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Locations of Dublin First Division teams

Team changes edit

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 edit

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 edit

Team Location Stadium Capacity
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 edit

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

Managerial changes edit

Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure 		Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Wexford   Brian O'Sullivan Mutual Consent 10 May 2021[9] 10th   Ian Ryan 15 May 2021[10]
Cobh Ramblers   Stuart Ashton Sacked 22 July 2021[11] 9th   Darren Murphy (interim) 23 July 2021[12]
Athlone Town   Adrian Carberry Sacked 17 August 2021[13] 6th   Paul Doolin 18 August 2021[14]
Shelbourne   Ian Morris Mutual Consent 29 October 2021[15] 1st   Damien Duff 3 November 2021[16]

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Shelbourne (C, P) 27 16 9 2 49 23 +26 57 Promotion to League of Ireland Premier Division
2 Galway United 27 15 6 6 39 25 +14 51 Qualification to Promotion play-offs
3 UCD (P) 27 13 7 7 55 38 +17 46
4 Treaty United 27 11 9 7 36 27 +9 42
5 Bray Wanderers 27 9 10 8 36 31 +5 37
6 Cork City 27 8 9 10 37 28 +9 33
7 Athlone Town 27 9 6 12 32 43 −11 33
8 Cobh Ramblers 27 8 4 15 25 46 −21 28
9 Cabinteely 27 8 1 18 26 47 −21 25
10 Wexford 27 6 3 18 29 56 −27 21
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 edit

Matches 1–18 edit

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

Home \ Away ATH BRW CAB COB COR GAL SHE TRU UCD WEX
Athlone Town — 0–0 1–2 2–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–4 2–3 3–0
Bray Wanderers 1–2 — 3–0 2–1 0–0 0–0 1–4 0–0 4–0 3–1
Cabinteely 0–1 0–3 — 1–0 1–0 0–3* 1–3 2–1 1–2 0–2
Cobh Ramblers 0–0 1–1 1–0 — 1–0 0–4 1–2 0–2 0–4 3–2
Cork City 0–1 2–2 0–2 2–1 — 1–1 1–3 2–3 1–1 5–0
Galway United 2–1 1–2 1–0 2–0 2–3 — 0–0 1–1 2–2 1–0
Shelbourne 1–0 3–3 1–0 2–2 2–1 4–0 — 2–2 3–1 1–0
Treaty United 1–0 2–0 1–4 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–1 — 2–1 1–0
UCD 2–2 0–0 4–1 1–2 0–0 0–2 0–0 3–2 — 2–1
Wexford 4–4 0–1 2–3 1–2 0–0 1–3 0–1 1–2 0–6 —
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 edit

Home \ Away ATH BRW CAB COB COR GAL SHE TRU UCD WEX
Athlone Town — — 2–1 1–2 — 1–0 — — — 0–2
Bray Wanderers 0–1 — 1–2 — 0–0 — — 1–0 — —
Cabinteely — — — 1–2 2–2 0–1 0–2 0–2 — —
Cobh Ramblers — 1–2 — — — 0–1 2–0 — 0–2 —
Cork City 3–1 — — 4–0 — 3–0 0–2 — — 4–0
Galway United — 1–0 — — — — 3–1 0–0 4–1 2–1
Shelbourne 1–1 1–1 — — — — — 1–0 1–1 4–0
Treaty United 1–1 — — 3–0 0–0 — — — — 1–1
UCD 6–0 4–3 5–2 — 1–0 — — 2–1 — —
Wexford — 4–2 2–1 3–1 — — — — 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 edit

Top scorers edit

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

Play-offs edit

First Division play-off Semi-finals edit

First leg edit

3 November 2021 Bray Wanderers 0–0 Galway United Carlisle Grounds
19:45 IST Report
3 November 2021 Treaty United 0–3 UCD Markets Field
19:45 IST Report Tadhg Ryan   34' (o.g.)
Colm Whelan   79', 92'

Second leg edit

7 November 2021 Galway United 0–1
(0–1 agg.)		 Bray Wanderers Eamonn Deacy Park
17:00 IST Report Brandon Kavanagh   22' Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan
7 November 2021 UCD 1–2
(4–2 agg.)		 Treaty United UCD Bowl
17:00 IST Adam Verdon   67' Report Conor Melody   8'
Anthony O’Donnell   52'		 Referee: Alan Patchell

First Division play-off Final edit

19 November 2021 Bray Wanderers 0–2 UCD Dalymount Park
19:45 IST Report Colm Whelan   68'
Paul Doyle   86'		 Referee: Oliver Moran

Promotion/relegation play-off edit

26 November 2021 Waterford 1–2 UCD Richmond Park
19:45 IST Anthony Wordsworth   5'
Niall O'Keeffe   87'  		 Report Dara Keane   26'
Colm Whelan   34'		 Referee: Paul McLaughlin

See also edit

References edit

  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. ^ a b 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.
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