The 2009 League of Ireland First Division season was the 25th season of the League of Ireland First Division. The First Division was contested by 12 teams and UCD won the title. Third placed Sporting Fingal also won the 2009 FAI Cup Final, qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League and were promoted to the Premier Division after winning a promotion/relegation play off.
Clubs Team Base Manager Stadium Athlone Town Athlone Brendan Place Athlone Town Stadium Finn Harps Ballybofey James Gallagher Finn Park Kildare County Newbridge Joe Somerville Station Road Limerick Limerick Pat Scully Jackman Park Longford Town Longford Gareth Cronin Flancare Park Mervue United Galway Johnny Glynn Terryland Park Monaghan United Monaghan Mick Cooke Century Homes Park Shelbourne Drumcondra Dermot Keely Tolka Park Sporting Fingal Fingal Liam Buckley Morton Stadium UCD Belfield Martin Russell UCD Bowl Waterford United Waterford Stephen Henderson Waterford RSC Wexford Youths Crossabeg Mick Wallace Ferrycarraig Park
Overview This season saw the division expanded from 10 to 12 clubs. This was because the 2009 Premier Division was reduced to 10 clubs. The regular season began on 6 March and concluded on 7 November. Each team played the other teams three times, totaling 33 games. UCD finished as champions and were automatically promoted to the Premier Division. There was no promotion/relegation play-off between the First Division and the A Championship this season. This was only because Kildare County, who finished bottom of the table, withdrew from the League of Ireland before the play-offs could be played.
Final table
Results Matches 1 to 22
Matches 23 to 33
Promotion/relegation play-offs The second and third placed First Division teams, Shelbourne and Sporting Fingal played off to decide who would play the winner of the Premier Division play-off. The winner of this play off would play in the 2010 Premier Division. First Division
First Division v Premier Division
Sporting Fingal won 4–2 on aggregate and were promoted to the Premier Division.
Top scorers ScorerTeamGoals Conan ByrneSporting Fingal 21 Karl BerminghamMonaghan United17 Graham CumminsWaterford United17 David McAllisterShelbourne16 Ciarán KilduffUCD14 Stephen O'FlynnLimerick F.C.14
See also 2009 League of Ireland Premier Division 2009 League of Ireland Cup 2009 A Championship
References