The 2018 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 34th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The league began on 16 February 2018 and concluded on 26 October 2018. Due to the decision to reduce the number of clubs in the Premier Division from 12 to 10, the promotion/relegation playoff was cancelled and only one club, Waterford F.C., was promoted.
On 5 October, Dundalk won the title after a 1–1 draw with St Patrick's Athletic.
Overview The Premier Division consists of 10 teams. Each team plays each other four times for a total of 36 matches in the season.
Waterford, the 2017 First Division champion, were promoted to the league for the first time since 2007.
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.
Teams
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium Bohemians Phibsborough Dalymount Park Bray Wanderers Bray Carlisle Grounds Cork City Cork Turners Cross Derry City Derry The Brandywell Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park Limerick Limerick Markets Field St Patrick's Athletic Inchicore Richmond Park Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Tallaght Stadium Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds Waterford Waterford RSC
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 Green SportBray Wanderers Gary Cronin Gary McCabeNikeO Driscoll O Neil InsuranceCork City John Caulfield Conor McCormackAdidasUniversity College CorkDerry City Declan Devine Gerard DohertyAdidasDiamond CorrugatedDundalk Stephen Kenny Stephen O'DonnellCX+ SportFyffesLimerick Tommy Barrett Shane DugganUmbroBetsat.comSt Patrick's Athletic Liam Buckley Ian BerminghamUmbroMIG Insurance BrokersShamrock Rovers Stephen Bradley Ronan FinnNew BalancePepper MoneySligo Rovers Gerard Lyttle Kyle Callan-McFaddenJomaVolkswagenWaterford Alan Reynolds Paul KeeganUmbro21 Bet
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointmentLimerick Neil McDonaldSigned by Scunthorpe United4 January 2018Pre-season Tommy Barrett14 January 2018Bray Wanderers Dave MackeyResigned8 April 201810th Graham Kelly10 April 2018Bray Wanderers Graham KellyEnd of caretaker spell8 July 201810th Martin Russell8 July 2018Derry City Kenny ShielsSacked27 October 2018 Derry axe Shiels 8th Declan Devine 16 November 2018
League table
Results
Matches 1–18 Teams played each other twice (once at home, once away).
Matches 19–36 Teams will play each other twice (once home, once away).
Promotion/relegation playoff Limerick, the ninth-placed team from the Premier Division took part in a two-legged play-off against Finn Harps, the winners of the 2018 First Division play-off, to decide who will play in the 2019 Premier Division.
Finn Harps won 3–0 on aggregate and were promoted to 2019 Premier Division. Limerick were relegated to the 2019 First Division.
Season statistics
Scoring
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Patrick HobanDundalk292 Kieran SadlierCork City163 Graham CumminsCork City154 Graham BurkeShamrock Rovers13 Michael DuffyDundalk136 Daniel CarrShamrock Rovers11 Daniel CorcoranBohemians118 Courtney DuffusWaterford10 Aaron McEneffDerry City1010 Robbie BensonDundalk9
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref Bohemians Bray Wanderers 5–0 (A) Cork City Sligo Rovers 4–1 (A) Graham Burke4 Shamrock Rovers Derry City 6-1 (H) Derry City Limerick 5–0 (H) Dundalk Limerick 4–0 (H)
Discipline
Club
Most yellow cards: 94 Sligo Rovers
Most red cards: 7 Waterford
Awards Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubReferencesFebruary Graham CumminsCork CityMarch Graham BurkeShamrock RoversApril Michael DuffyDundalkMay Seán HoareDundalkJune Patrick HobanDundalkJuly Gavin BazunuShamrock RoversAugust Michael DuffyDundalkSeptember Chris ShieldsDundalkOctober/November Patrick McEleneyDundalk Annual Awards Award Winner Club Premier Division Player of the Year Michael Duffy Dundalk Premier Division Young Player of the Year Jamie McGrath Dundalk Premier Division Manager of the Year Stephen Kenny Dundalk PFAI Team of the Year Goalkeeper Shane Supple(Bohemians) Defence Sean Gannon(Dundalk) Seán Hoare(Dundalk) Seán McLoughlin(Cork City) Darragh Leahy(Bohemians) Midfield Chris Shields(Dundalk) Bastien Hery(Waterford) Robbie Benson(Dundalk) Attack Kieran Sadlier(Cork City) Patrick Hoban(Dundalk) Michael Duffy(Dundalk)
Attendances
No. Club Average 1 Cork City 4,086 2 Dundalk 2,801 3 Shamrock Rovers 2,758 4 Waterford United 2,314 5 Bohemian 2,143 6 Derry City 2,061 7 Sligo Rovers 1,800 8 St. Patrick's Athletic 1,733 9 Limerick 998 10 Bray Wanderers 694
Source:
See also 2018 League of Ireland First Division 2018 FAI Cup 2018 League of Ireland Cup 2018 St Patrick's Athletic F.C. season
References
External links Official website Full Results and Fixtures