The League of Ireland First Division, also known as the SSE Airtricity League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland football league system. The division was formed in 1985 as it replaced the League of Ireland B Division as the League of Ireland's second level division. Since 2003 the First Division has operated as a summer league. The division is contested by 10 clubs.
History Inaugural season In 1985 five teams – Bray Wanderers, Cobh Ramblers, Derry City, EMFA and Newcastle United – were elected to join the League of Ireland. All five subsequently participated in the inaugural 1985–86 First Division season, along with Monaghan United from the League of Ireland B Division and four clubs – Drogheda United, Finn Harps, Longford Town and Sligo Rovers – who were relegated following the 1984–85 League of Ireland season. Bray Wanderers were the inaugural First Division champions.
Europe As a second level division, clubs playing in the First Division cannot qualify directly for Europe. However First Division clubs have qualified for Europe after winning the FAI Cup. In 1989–90 Bray Wanderers qualified for the 1990–91 European Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1989–90 FAI Cup final. As a result, they became the first First Division team to play in Europe. In 1993–94 Sligo Rovers qualified for the 1994–95 European Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1993–94 FAI Cup final. Rovers were also the 1993–94 First Division champions and were promoted to the 1994–95 Premier Division. As a result, they were actually a Premier Division club when they played in Europe. Bray Wanderers qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup after winning the 1999 FAI Cup Final. However, after finishing eleventh in the 1998–99 Premier Division, they were relegated to 1999–2000 First Division and as a result they were playing in the First Division when they subsequently embarked on their European campaign.
In 2009 Sporting Fingal qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League after winning the 2009 FAI Cup Final. They were also promoted to the 2010 Premier Division after winning the promotion/relegation play-off. In 2015 UCD qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League via the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking system. After the FAI finished third in the 2014–15 rankings, they nominated UCD for the extra European place.
Promotion and relegation A promotion and relegation system has existed between the League of Ireland Premier Division and the First Division since 1985–86. In 1992–93 a promotion/relegation play-off was also introduced. Between 2008 and 2011, A Championship teams were also eligible for promotion to the First Division. During this time both Mervue United and Salthill Devon were both promoted to the First Division from the A Championship. There is no formal promotion and relegation relationship between the First Division and the three third level provincial leagues – the Leinster Senior League Senior Division, the Munster Senior League and the Ulster Senior League. However provincial level teams have been invited to join the division. In 1990–91 St James's Gate were invited to join and in 1996–97 they were replaced by St Francis. In 2015, Cabinteely became the most recent team to accept an invite. All three clubs were recruited from the Leinster Senior League. Treaty United from the Munster senior league joined the first division in 2021, replacing Shamrock Rovers second team. Newly established Kerry were awarded their license in November 2022, confirming their place for the 2023 season.
2026 clubs Team Location Stadium Capacity Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium 5,000 Bray Wanderers Bray Carlisle Grounds 4,000 Cobh Ramblers Cobh St. Colman's Park 3,000 Cork City Cork Turners Cross 7,485 Finn Harps Ballybofey Finn Park 6,000 Kerry Tralee Mounthawk Park 1,200 Longford Town Longford Bishopsgate 5,097 Treaty United Limerick Markets Field 5,000 UCD Dublin UCD Bowl 3,000 Wexford Crossabeg Ferrycarrig Park 2,500
List of winners by season Season Champions Runners-up Third place1985–86Bray WanderersSligo RoversLongford Town1986–87Derry CityShelbourneDrogheda United1987–88Athlone TownCobh RamblersFinn Harps1988–89Drogheda UnitedUCDBray Wanderers1989–90Waterford UnitedSligo RoversBray Wanderers1990–91Drogheda United (2)Bray WanderersCobh Ramblers1991–92Limerick CityWaterford UnitedCobh Ramblers1992–93Galway UnitedCobh RamblersMonaghan United1993–94Sligo RoversAthlone TownFinn Harps1994–95UCDDrogheda UnitedFinn Harps1995–96Bray Wanderers (2)Finn HarpsHome Farm Everton1996–97Kilkenny CityDrogheda UnitedWaterford United1997–98Waterford United (2)Bray WanderersLimerick1998–99Drogheda United (3)Galway UnitedCobh Ramblers1999–2000Bray Wanderers (3)Longford TownKilkenny City2000–01DundalkMonaghan UnitedAthlone Town2001–02Drogheda United (4)Finn HarpsDublin City2002–03Waterford United (3)Finn HarpsGalway United2003Dublin CityBray WanderersFinn Harps2004Finn HarpsUCDBray Wanderers2005Sligo Rovers (2)Dublin CityCobh Ramblers2006Shamrock RoversDundalkGalway United2007Cobh RamblersFinn HarpsDundalk2008Dundalk (2)ShelbourneWaterford United2009UCD (2)ShelbourneSporting Fingal2010Derry City (2)Waterford UnitedMonaghan United2011Cork CityShelbourneMonaghan United2012Limerick (2)Waterford UnitedLongford Town2013Athlone Town (2)Longford TownMervue United2014Longford TownShelbourneGalway F.C.2015Wexford YouthsFinn HarpsUCD2016Limerick (3)Drogheda UnitedUCD2017Waterford (4)Cobh RamblersUCD2018UCD (3)Finn HarpsShelbourne2019ShelbourneDrogheda UnitedLongford Town2020Drogheda United (5)Bray WanderersUCD2021Shelbourne (2)Galway UnitedUCD2022Cork City (2)WaterfordGalway United2023Galway United (2)WaterfordCobh Ramblers2024Cork City (3)UCDWexford2025Dundalk (3)Cobh RamblersBray Wanderers2026Cork City (4)
Attendance SeasonTotalAverageHighestRef.2011 102,6306223,4332016 52,987477 –201753,342476– 2018 59,946422– 201975,795561–2020 –––2021 –––2022 178,0001,193–2023 196,0501,0894,3002024 165,163 9185,5072025 157,095872 3,358
Key Record high Record low * Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
List of winners by club Club Titles SeasonsDrogheda United51988–89, 1990–91, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2020Cork City42011, 2022, 2024, 2026Waterford41989–90, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2017Dundalk32000–01, 2008, 2025UCD31994–95, 2009, 2018Limerick (D)31991–92, 2012, 2016Bray Wanderers31985–86, 1995–96, 1999–00Athlone Town21987–88, 2013Derry City21986–87, 2010Galway United21992–93, 2023Shelbourne22019, 2021Sligo Rovers21993–94, 2005Wexford Youths12015Longford Town12014Cobh Ramblers12007Shamrock Rovers12006Finn Harps12004Dublin City (D)12003Kilkenny City (D)11996–97
(D): Club Dissolved
Top scorers Season Player Club Goals1985–86 Con McLoughlinFinn Harps 11 Harry McLoughlin Sligo Rovers1986–87 Aleksandar KrstićDerry City181987–88 Con McLoughlinFinn Harps191988–89 Pat O'ConnorHome Farm141989–90 John RyanBray Wanderers161990–91 Jim BarrMonaghan United12 Con McLoughlinFinn Harps1991–92 Con McLoughlinFinn Harps12 Barry RyanLimerick City1992–93 Mick ByrneMonaghan United15 Richie ParsonsLongford Town1993–94 Karl GannonHome Farm161994–95 Michael O'ByrneUCD141994–95 Philip PowerHome Farm141995–96 Jonathan SpeakFinn Harps171996–97 Richie HaleKilkenny City13 Tony IzziCobh Ramblers1997–98 Fergal ColemanGalway United131998–99 Tony IzziCobh Ramblers131999–00 Robbie FarrellHome Farm Fingal17 Andrew MylerMonaghan United Keith O'ConnorLongford Town2000–01 Andrew MylerAthlone Town292001–02 Kevin McHughFinn Harps272002–03 Willie BrutonCobh Ramblers14 Kevin McHughFinn Harps2003 Alan MurphyGalway United212004 Kevin McHughFinn Harps242005 Kieran O'ReillyCobh Ramblers172006 Philip HughesDundalk212007 Conor GethinsFinn Harps152008 Robbie DoyleSporting Fingal172009 Conan ByrneSporting Fingal212010 Graham CumminsCork City18 Mark FarrenDerry City Willie John KielyWaterford United2011 Graham CumminsCork City242012 Sean MaguireWaterford United13 Kevin McHughFinn Harps Daniel FurlongWexford Youths2013 David O'SullivanLongford Town212014 David O'SullivanLongford Town212015 Daniel FurlongWexford Youths302016 Gary O'NeillUCD132017 Georgie KellyUCD172018 David O'SullivanShelbourne152019 Rob ManleyCabinteely172020 Yousef MahdyUCD152021 Colm WhelanUCD192022 Phoenix PattersonWaterford172023 Ronan CoughlanWaterford332024 Dean EbbeAthlone Town152025 Barry CoffeyCobh Ramblers26
Notes
See also League of Ireland League of Ireland Premier Division Republic of Ireland football league system List of foreign League of Ireland players
References
External links
League of Ireland First Division at Final Whistle League of Ireland First Division at Extratime