The 2017 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 33rd season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The league began on Friday 24 February 2017 and concluded on 27 October 2017. Fixtures were announced on 9 December 2016. Due to the decision to reduce the number of clubs in the Premier Division from 12 to 10, starting from the following season, three clubs were to be relegated.
On 17 October, Cork City won the title after a 0-0 draw at home to Derry City.
Overview The Premier Division consists of 12 teams. Each team plays each other three times for a total of 33 matches in the season.
Limerick, the 2016 First Division champion and Drogheda United, winners of the promotion/relegation playoffs, were promoted to the league, both bouncing straight back after having been relegated the previous season.
On 22 December 2016, the Football Association of Ireland announced that the league would be restructured into two 10-team divisions from the 2018 season onwards, one of the recommendations made in the 2015 Conroy Report. This meant the cancellation of the promotion/relegation playoff and relegation at the end of the 2017 season of 3 teams, with only the champions of the First Division promoted in return.
Teams
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Bohemians Phibsborough Dalymount Park Bray Wanderers Bray Carlisle Grounds Cork City Cork Turners Cross Derry City Buncrana Maginn Park Drogheda United Drogheda United Park Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park Finn Harps Ballybofey Finn Park Galway United Galway Eamonn Deacy Park Limerick Limerick Markets Field Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Tallaght Stadium Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds St Patrick's Athletic Inchicore Richmond Park
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 sponsor Bohemians Keith Long Derek PenderHummelMr GreenBray Wanderers Harry Kenny Conor KennaNikeSonas BathroomsCork City John Caulfield John DunleavyNikeUniversity College CorkDerry City Kenny Shiels Gerard DohertyHummelDiamond CorrugatedDrogheda United Pete Mahon Sean ThorntonCX+ SportScotch Hall Shopping CenterDundalk Stephen Kenny Stephen O'DonnellCX+ SportFyffesFinn Harps Ollie Horgan Ciaran CollJoma McGettigan GroupGalway United Shane Keegan Colm HorganUhlsportComer Property ManagementLimerick Neil McDonald Shane DugganHummelShamrock Rovers Stephen Bradley Ronan FinnNew BalancePepper Asset ServicingSligo Rovers Gerard Lyttle Craig RoddanJomaVolkswagenSt Patrick's Athletic Liam Buckley Ian BerminghamUmbroPieta House
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointmentLimerick Martin RussellMutual consent3 April 20178th Neil McDonald18 May 2017Sligo Rovers Dave Robertson5 April 201711th Gerard Lyttle21 April 2017
League table
Results
Matches 1–22 Teams played each other twice (once at home, once away).
Matches 23–33 Teams played each other once.
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Sean MaguireCork City202 David McMillanDundalk163 Dinny Corcoran Bohemians15 Gary McCabeBray Wanderers155 Rodrigo TosiLimerick City146 Ronan MurrayGalway United137 Aaron GreeneBray Wanderers128 Gary ShawShamrock Rovers119 Patrick McEleneyDundalk10 Barry McNameeDerry City10 Kurtis ByrneBohemians10 Awards Annual awards Award Winner Club PFAI Players' Player of the Year Sean Maguire Cork City PFAI Young Player of the Year Trevor Clarke Shamrock Rovers PFAI Manager of the Year John Caulfield Cork City PFAI Team of the Year Goalkeeper Ger Doherty(Derry City) Defence Sean Gannon(Dundalk) Niclas Vemmelund(Dundalk) Ryan Delaney(Cork City) Trevor Clarke(Shamrock Rovers) Midfield Aaron McEneff(Derry City) Patrick McEleney(Dundalk) Gearóid Morrissey(Cork City) Attack David McMillan(Dundalk) Ronan Murray(Galway United) Sean Maguire(Cork City)
Attendances
No. Club Average 1 Cork City 4,562 2 Shamrock Rovers 2,815 3 Dundalk 2,707 4 Bohemian 1,962 5 Sligo Rovers 1,717 6 Limerick 1,607 7 St. Patrick's Athletic 1,531 8 Derry City 1,393 9 Galway United 1,366 10 Finn Harps 1,312 11 Bray Wanderers 966 12 Drogheda United 813
Source:
See also 2017 League of Ireland First Division 2017 FAI Cup 2017 League of Ireland Cup 2017 St Patrick's Athletic F.C. season
References
External links Official website Full Results and Fixtures