2023 League of Ireland Premier Division

The 2023 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, was the 39th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985.

The winners (Shamrock Rovers, their fourth consecutive title and twenty-first overall) qualified for the 2024–25 Champions League first qualifying round. The 2023 FAI Cup winners (St Patrick's Athletic) qualified for the 2024–25 Conference League second qualifying round. The runners-up (Derry City) and fourth-placed team (Shelbourne) qualified for the 2024–25 Conference League first qualifying round. The ninth-placed team (Cork City) qualified for the League of Ireland Premier Division play-off, losing and being relegated to the 2024 League of Ireland First Division. They were joined by the bottom-placed team (UCD).

Teams Ten teams competed in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the one team promoted from the First Division. The promoted team was Cork City, after a top flight absence of two years. They replaced Finn Harps who were relegated after four consecutive seasons in the top flight.

Shamrock Rovers were the defending champions, having won their twentieth title the previous season.

Stadiums and locations

Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians Dublin Dalymount Park 4,500 Cork City Cork Turners Cross 7,485 Derry City Derry Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium 3,700 Drogheda United Drogheda Weavers Park 3,500 Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park 4,500 Shamrock Rovers Dublin Tallaght Stadium 10,500 Shelbourne Dublin Tolka Park 4,450 Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds 3,873 St Patrick's Athletic Dublin Richmond Park 5,340 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 Keith BuckleyO'NeillsDes Kelly InteriorsCork City Richie Holland (interim) Cian ColemanAdidasZeusDerry City Ruaidhrí Higgins Patrick McEleneyO'NeillsDiamond CorrugatedDrogheda United Kevin Doherty Gary DeeganErreàDrogheda Credit UnionDundalk Stephen O'Donnell Patrick HobanPlayr-FitBet RegalShamrock Rovers Stephen Bradley Ronan FinnUmbroMASCOT WorkwearShelbourne Damien Duff Luke ByrneUmbroCulliganSligo Rovers John Russell David CawleyJomaAvant MoneySt Patrick's Athletic Jon Daly Joe RedmondUmbroManguard PlusUCD Andrew Myler Jack KeaneyO'NeillsMaples Group

Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointmentSt Patrick's Athletic Tim ClancyMutual Consent2 May 20237th Jon Daly2 May 2023Cork City Colin HealyResigned3 May 20239th Liam Buckley (interim)3 May 2023 Liam Buckley (interim)Change of role28 September 20239th Richie Holland (interim)28 September 2023

League table Standings

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

Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Jonathan AfolabiBohemians15 Jack MoylanShelbourne3 Patrick HobanDundalk144 Chris ForresterSt Patrick's Athletic13 Ruairí KeatingCork City6 Graham BurkeShamrock Rovers127 Max Mata*Sligo Rovers118 Daniel KellyDundalk8 Jordan McEneffDerry City Freddie Draper*Drogheda United Rory GaffneyShamrock Rovers

Max Mata joined Shrewsbury Town on 4 August 2023. Freddie Draper returned to Lincoln City on 30 June 2023

Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Brian MaherDerry City142 Conor KearnsShelbourne11 James TalbotBohemians4 Dean LynessSt Patrick's Athletic105 Leon PöhlsShamrock Rovers7 Nathan ShepperdDundalk7 Alan MannusShamrock Rovers5 Jimmy CorcoranCork City9 Colin McCabeDrogheda United410 Luke McNicholasSligo Rovers3

League of Ireland Premier Division play-off The ninth-placed team (Cork City) qualified for a play-off alongside the second, third, fourth, and fifth-placed teams from the 2023 League of Ireland First Division (Athlone Town, Cobh Ramblers, Waterford, and Wexford).

The First Division teams contested the quarter and semi-finals. The quarter-finals were held over two legs, with the second-placed team (Waterford) facing the fifth-placed team (Athlone Town) and the third-placed team (Cobh Ramblers) facing the fourth-placed team (Wexford). The quarter-final winners then contested the semi-finals, with the winners ultimately facing the ninth-placed League of Ireland Premier Division team for the final place in the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division.

Bracket

Quarter-finals First leg

Second leg

Semi-final

Final

Awards Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.PlayerClubFebruary Jordan McEneffDerry CityMarch Ali CooteBohemiansApril Ronan CoughlanWaterfordMay Freddie DraperDrogheda UnitedJune Patrick HobanDundalkJuly Jonathan AfolabiBohemiansAugust James ClarkeBohemiansSeptember Ruairí KeatingCork CityOctober Jack MoylanShelbourneNovember Ronan CoughlanWaterford

Annual awards Award Winner ClubPFAI Player of the YearChris ForresterSt Patrick's AthleticPFAI Young Player of the YearSam CurtisSt Patrick's AthleticPFAI Premier Division Manager of the YearStephen BradleyShamrock Rovers

PFAI Team of the YearGoalkeeper Conor Kearns(Shelbourne)Defenders Archie Davies(Dundalk) Sam Curtis(St Patrick's Athletic) Roberto Lopes(Shamrock Rovers) Ben Doherty(Derry City)Midfielders Will Patching(Derry City) Chris Forrester(St Patrick's Athletic) James Clarke(Bohemians)Forwards Jack Moylan(Shelbourne) Jonathan Afolabi(Bohemians) Ruairí Keating(Cork City)

2023 League of Ireland Premier Division

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