The 2017 League of Ireland First Division season is the 33rd season of the League of Ireland First Division. The league began on 24 February 2017 and concludes on 7 October 2017. The 2017 season had no promotion/relegation play-off system like the previous years, only one team would be eligible for promotion whilst three teams would be relegated from the League of Ireland Premier Division in a revamp of the leagues by the FAI.
And returning to the League of Ireland Premier Division for the first time in 10 years was Waterford who won promotion with two games to spare as their 3–0 win over south east rivals Wexford coupled with nearest rivals Cobh Ramblers 3–0 defeat to Cabinteely secured the league title.
Overview The First Division has 8 teams. Each team played each other four times, twice at home and twice away, for a total of 28 matches in the season.
On 22 December 2016, the FAI 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 from the Premier Division, with only the champions of the First Division promoted in return.
Teams
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium Athlone Town Athlone Athlone Town Stadium Cabinteely Cabinteely Stradbrook Road Cobh Ramblers Cobh St. Colman's Park Longford Town Longford City Calling Stadium Shelbourne Drumcondra Tolka Park UCD Belfield UCD Bowl Waterford Waterford Waterford RSC Wexford Crossabeg Ferrycarrig 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 Athlone Town Roddy Collins Niall ScullionNikeNitro SportsCabinteely Pat Devlin Daire DoyleUmbroDublin School of GrindsCobh Ramblers Stephen Henderson Paul HuntLegeaTony & William O'Shea Fuels RushbrookeLongford Town Neale Fenn Kevin O'ConnorLegeaCity CallingShelbourne Owen Heary Dean DelaneyMacronabbeyseals.ieUCD Collie O'Neill Gary O'NeillO'NeillsO'NeillsWaterford Alan Reynolds Kenny BrowneUmbro 21 BetWexford Damian Locke Craig McCabeBodibroPremier Tickets
League table
Results
Matches 1–14 Teams play each other twice (once at home, once away).
Matches 15–28 Teams play each other twice (once at home, once away).
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Georgie KellyUCD172 Kieran Marty WatersCabinteely153 Mark O'SullivanWaterford124 David McDaidWaterford115 Joe DoyleCabinteely106 David O'SullivanLongford Town97 James EnglishShelbourne88 Adam EvansShelbourne89 Enda CurranLongford Town/Athlone Town710 Jason McClellandUCD7
Awards The PFAI First Division player of the year nominees were Waterford striker David McDaid, Cabinteely midfielder Kieran Marty Waters and UCD striker Georgie Kelly.
PFAI First Division Team of Year
The PFAI First Division Team of the Year was: Goalkeeper: Niall Corbett (UCD) Defence: Daniel O'Reilly (Longford Town), Kenny Browne (Waterford), Chris McCarthy (Cobh Ramblers), Evan Osam (UCD) Midfield: Garry Comerford (Waterford), Greg Sloggett (UCD), Kirean Marty Waters (Cabinteely), Derek Daly (Waterford) Attack: David McDaid (Waterford), Georgie Kelly (UCD)
See also 2017 League of Ireland Premier Division 2017 League of Ireland Cup
References