2022 League of Ireland Premier Division

The 2022 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, was the 38th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985. Shamrock Rovers were the defending champions, having won their nineteenth Premier Division title the previous season. They retained the title on 24 October as a result of Derry City drawing 0-0 away to Sligo Rovers.

Teams Ten teams compete in the league – the top eight teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams were Shelbourne and UCD, after respective top flight absences of one and three years. They replaced Longford Town (relegated after just one year back in the top flight), and Waterford (relegated via play-off after four years back in the top flight).

Stadiums and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians Dublin Dalymount Park 3,640 Derry City Derry Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium 3,700 Drogheda United Drogheda Head In The Game Park 3,500 Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park 4,500 Finn Harps Ballybofey Finn Park 6,000 St Patrick's Athletic Dublin Richmond Park 5,340 Shamrock Rovers Dublin Tallaght Stadium 8,000 Shelbourne Dublin Tolka Park 4,400 Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds 3,873 UCD Dublin UCD Bowl 3,000

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. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorBohemians Declan Devine Conor LevingstonO'NeillsDes Kelly InteriorsDerry City Ruaidhrí Higgins Eoin ToalO'NeillsDiamond CorrugatedDrogheda United Kevin Doherty Dane MasseyUmbroDrogheda Credit UnionDundalk Stephen O'Donnell Brian GartlandUmbroBet RegalFinn Harps Ollie Horgan David WebsterJomaGuild EsportsSt Patrick's Athletic Tim Clancy Ian BerminghamUmbroManguard PlusShamrock Rovers Stephen Bradley Ronan FinnUmbro888sportShelbourne Damien Duff Luke ByrneUmbroHamptons HomesSligo Rovers John Russell David CawleyJomaAvant MoneyUCD Andrew Myler Jack KeaneyO'NeillsJigsaw

Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointment Shelbourne Ian Morris Sacked 30 October 2021 Pre-season Damien Duff 3 November 2021 Dundalk Vinny Perth End of contract 30 November 2021 Stephen O'Donnell 11 December 2021 St Patrick's Athletic Stephen O'Donnell Moved to Dundalk 2 December 2021 Tim Clancy 2 December 2021 Drogheda United Tim Clancy Moved to St Patrick's Athletic 2 December 2021 Kevin Doherty 2 December 2021 Sligo Rovers Liam Buckley Mutual Consent 22 May 2022 6th John Russell 22 May 2022 Bohemians Keith Long Sacked 30 August 2022 6th Derek Pender (interim) 30 August 2022 Derek Pender Permanent appointment 14 October 2022 6th Declan Devine 14 October 2022

League table Standings

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward.

Results Teams will play each other four times (twice at home, twice away).

*Note Sligo Rovers defeated Dundalk 2–0 but the result was overturned by the Football Association of Ireland to a 3–0 win for Dundalk after it was ruled that Sligo had fielded a suspended player.Lhttps://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/fai-statement/id-4432

Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Aidan KeenaSligo Rovers182 Eoin DoyleSt Patrick's Athletic143 Graham BurkeShamrock Rovers11 Jamie McGonigleDerry City Seán BoydShelbourne6 Will PatchingDerry City10 Rory GaffneyShamrock Rovers8 Patrick HobanDundalk99 Dawson DevoyBohemians810 Max MataSligo Rovers7 Andy LyonsShamrock Fovers Danny MandroiuShamrock Rovers Jack MoylanShelbourne

Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Alan MannusShamrock Rovers15 Brian MaherDerry City3 Nathan ShepperdDundalk124 Joseph AnangSt Patrick’s Athletic105 Brendan ClarkeShelbourne86 Ed McGintySligo Rovers57 Richard BrushSligo Rovers3 Colin McCabeDrogheda United Tadhg RyanBohemians Lorcan HealyUCD Sam LongDrogheda United Mark McGinleyFinn Harps James TalbotBohemians

Play-offs Bracket

First Division play-off Semi-finals First leg

Second leg

First Division play-off Final

Promotion/relegation play-off

Awards Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.PlayerClubFebruary Steven BradleyDundalkMarch Aidan KeenaSligo RoversApril Jamie McGonigleDerry CityMay Daniel KellyDundalkJune Mark ConnollyDundalkJuly Aidan KeenaSligo RoversAugust Andy LyonsShamrock RoversSeptember Phoenix PattersonWaterfordOctober Rory GaffneyShamrock RoversNovember Cameron McJannetDerry City

Annual awards Award Winner ClubPFAI Player of the YearRory GaffneyShamrock RoversPFAI Young Player of the YearAndy LyonsShamrock RoversPFAI Premier Division Manager of the YearStephen BradleyShamrock Rovers

PFAI Team of the YearGoalkeeper Brian Maher (Derry City)Defenders Cameron Dummigan (Derry City) Mark Connolly (Derry City) Joe Redmond (St Patrick's Athletic) Andy Lyons (Shamrock Rovers)Midfielders Will Patching (Derry City) Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers) Chris Forrester (St Patrick's Athletic)Forwards Aidan Keena (Sligo Rovers) Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers) Seán Boyd (Shelbourne)

2022 League of Ireland Premier Division

Bron en licentie