The 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division for sponsorship reasons,[2] is the 40th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985.
| Season | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 16 February 2024 – 1 November 2024 |
| Matches played | 34 |
| Goals scored | 73 (2.15 per match) |
| Top goalscorer |  Patrick Hoban(Derry City) (9 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Shamrock Rovers 4–0 Drogheda United (29 April 2024) |
| Biggest away win | Dundalk 0–5 Sligo Rovers (4 March) |
| Highest scoring | Waterford 4–2 Drogheda United (23 May 2024) |
| Longest winning run | Shelbourne (6 games) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Shelbourne (9 games) |
| Longest winless run | Dundalk (11 games) |
| Longest losing run | Dundalk St. Patrick's Athletic (3 games each) |
| Highest attendance | 10,094 Shamrock Rovers 3–1 Bohemian F.C. (24 May 2024)[1] |
| Lowest attendance | |
← 2023 2025 → | |
The competition began on 16 February 2024 and will conclude on 1 November 2024.[3][4][5][6]
Teams
editThe league consisted of ten teams – the top eight teams from the previous season and two teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams were the 2023 League of Ireland First Division winners Galway United (after a top flight absence of six years)[7] and play-off winners Waterford (after being absent from the top flight for two years).[8] They replaced UCD (relegated after two consecutive seasons in the top flight) and Cork City (who spent just one season back in the top flight before being relegated following their loss to Waterford).[8] Shamrock Rovers entered the season as defending champions after winning their twenty-first title during the previous season.[9]
Stadiums and locations
edit| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | Dublin (Phibsborough) | Dalymount Park | 4,500 |
| Derry City | Derry | Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium | 3,700 |
| Drogheda United | Drogheda | Weavers Park | 3,500 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park | 4,500 |
| Galway United | Galway | Eamonn Deacy Park | 5,000 |
| Shamrock Rovers | Dublin (Tallaght) | Tallaght Stadium | 10,500 |
| Shelbourne | Dublin (Drumcondra) | Tolka Park | 5,700 |
| Sligo Rovers | Sligo | The Showgrounds | 3,873 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | Dublin (Inchicore) | Richmond Park | 5,340 |
| Waterford | Waterford | RSC | 5,160 |
Personnel and kits
editNote: 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 | O'Neills | Des Kelly Interiors | ||
| Derry City | O'Neills | Diamond Corrugated | ||
| Drogheda United | Erreà | Drogheda Credit Union | ||
| Dundalk | Playr-Fit | 888casino | ||
| Galway United | O'Neills | Comer Property Management | ||
| Shamrock Rovers | Umbro | MASCOT Workwear | ||
| Shelbourne | O'Neills | Realtor Global (home) - One Coat Roof Seal (away/third) | ||
| Sligo Rovers | Joma | Avant Money | ||
| St Patrick's Athletic | Umbro | Manguard Plus | ||
| Waterford | New Balance | DG Foods |
Managerial changes
edit| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | Sacked | 10 March 2024 | 7th | 10 March 2024 | ||
| End of interim spell | 26 March 2024 | 6th | 26 March 2024 | |||
| Dundalk | Sacked | 8 April 2024 | 10th | 8 April 2024 | ||
| End of interim spell | 20 April 2024 | 20 April 2024 | ||||
| St Patrick's Athletic | Sacked | 7 May 2024 | 7th | 7 May 2024 | ||
| Dundalk | Resigned | 15 May 2024 | 10th | 15 May 2024 | ||
| St Patrick's Athletic | End of interim spell | 16 May 2024 | 7th | 16 May 2024 | ||
| Dundalk | 23 May 2024 | 10th | 23 May 2024 |
League table
editStandings
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shelbourne | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 17 | +12 | 48 | Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Derry City | 27 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 41 | 23 | +18 | 46 | Qualification to Conference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Waterford | 27 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 37 | 32 | +5 | 40 | |
| 4 | Sligo Rovers | 27 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 32 | +1 | 40 | |
| 5 | Shamrock Rovers | 25 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 26 | +8 | 38 | |
| 6 | Galway United | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 38 | |
| 7 | St Patrick's Athletic | 27 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 28 | 31 | −3 | 32 | |
| 8 | Bohemians | 25 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 27 | 32 | −5 | 28 | |
| 9 | Dundalk | 27 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 37 | −18 | 24 | Qualification to League of Ireland Premier Division play-off final |
| 10 | Drogheda United | 27 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 29 | 50 | −21 | 22 | Relegation to League of Ireland First Division |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[10]
Results
editTeams play each other four times (twice at home and twice away).
League of Ireland Premier Division play-off
editThe ninth-placed team qualify for a play-off alongside the second, third, fourth, and fifth-placed teams from the 2024 League of Ireland First Division.
The First Division teams contest the quarter and semi-finals. The quarter-finals will be held over two legs, with the second-placed team facing the fifth-placed team and the third-placed team facing the fourth-placed team. The quarter-final winners then contest the semi-finals, with the winners ultimately facing the ninth-placed League of Ireland Premier Division team for the final place in the 2025 League of Ireland Premier Division.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Shamrock Rovers show their class with second-half blitz of Bohemians at sold-out Tallaght Stadium". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "League of Ireland prize money increased by 17% with 48 live games to be shown". Irish Independent. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "2024 League of Ireland fixtures released". League of Ireland. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "2024 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division Fixture List" (PDF). League of Ireland. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "RTÉ confirm quartet of LOI clashes to be screened live". RTÉ. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "League of Ireland Premier Division: Club-by-club guide to new squads". RTE Sport. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Murt (22 September 2023). "Galway United gain promotion to the top flight in style". Irish Examiner.
- ^ a b Fenton, James (10 November 2023). "LOI play-off final: Waterford 2 Cork City 1 - recap" – via www.rte.ie.
- ^ "Shamrock Rovers crowned league champions for fourth season in a row after St Pat's win". The Irish Times.
- ^ a b "PREMIER DIVISION". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 12 February 2024.