# League of Ireland First Division

The League of Ireland First Division, also known as the SSE Airtricity League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland football league system. The division was formed in 1985 as it replaced the League of Ireland B Division as the League of Ireland's second level division. Since 2003 the First Division has operated as a summer league. The division is contested by 10 clubs.

## History
### Inaugural season

In 1985 five teams – Bray Wanderers, Cobh Ramblers, Derry City, EMFA and Newcastle United – were elected to join the League of Ireland. All five subsequently participated in the inaugural 1985–86 First Division season, along with Monaghan United from the League of Ireland B Division and four clubs – Drogheda United, Finn Harps, Longford Town and Sligo Rovers – who were relegated following the 1984–85 League of Ireland season. Bray Wanderers were the inaugural First Division champions.

### Europe

As a second level division, clubs playing in the First Division cannot qualify directly for Europe. However First Division clubs have qualified for Europe after winning the FAI Cup. In 1989–90 Bray Wanderers qualified for the 1990–91 European Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1989–90 FAI Cup final. As a result, they became the first First Division team to play in Europe. In 1993–94 Sligo Rovers qualified for the 1994–95 European Cup Winners' Cup after winning the 1993–94 FAI Cup final. Rovers were also the 1993–94 First Division champions and were promoted to the 1994–95 Premier Division. As a result, they were actually a Premier Division club when they played in Europe. Bray Wanderers qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup after winning the 1999 FAI Cup Final. However, after finishing eleventh in the 1998–99 Premier Division, they were relegated to 1999–2000 First Division and as a result they were playing in the First Division when they subsequently embarked on their European campaign.
In 2009 Sporting Fingal qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League after winning the 2009 FAI Cup Final. They were also promoted to the 2010 Premier Division after winning the promotion/relegation play-off. In 2015 UCD qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League via the UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking system. After the FAI finished third in the 2014–15 rankings, they nominated UCD for the extra European place.

### Promotion and relegation

A promotion and relegation system has existed between the League of Ireland Premier Division and the First Division since 1985–86. In 1992–93 a promotion/relegation play-off was also introduced. Between 2008 and 2011, A Championship teams were also eligible for promotion to the First Division. During this time both Mervue United and Salthill Devon were both promoted to the First Division from the A Championship. There is no formal promotion and relegation relationship between the First Division and the three third level provincial leagues – the Leinster Senior League Senior Division, the Munster Senior League and the Ulster Senior League. However provincial level teams have been invited to join the division. In 1990–91 St James's Gate were invited to join and in 1996–97 they were replaced by St Francis. In 2015, Cabinteely became the most recent team to accept an invite. All three clubs were recruited from the Leinster Senior League. Treaty United from the Munster senior league joined the first division in 2021, replacing Shamrock Rovers second team. Newly established Kerry were awarded their license in November 2022, confirming their place for the 2023 season.

## 2025 clubs

| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
| Athlone Town | Athlone | Athlone Town Stadium | 5,000 |
| Bray Wanderers | Bray | Carlisle Grounds | 4,000 |
| Cobh Ramblers | Cobh | St. Colman's Park | 3,000 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park | 3,500 |
| Finn Harps | Ballybofey | Finn Park | 6,000 |
| Kerry | Tralee | Mounthawk Park | 1,200 |
| Longford Town | Longford | Bishopsgate | 5,097 |
| Treaty United | Limerick | Markets Field | 5,000 |
| UCD | Dublin | UCD Bowl | 3,000 |
| Wexford | Crossabeg | Ferrycarrig Park | 2,500 |

## List of winners by season

| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
| 1985–86 | Bray Wanderers | Sligo Rovers | Longford Town |
| 1986–87 | Derry City | Shelbourne | Drogheda United |
| 1987–88 | Athlone Town | Cobh Ramblers | Finn Harps |
| 1988–89 | Drogheda United | UCD | Bray Wanderers |
| 1989–90 | Waterford United | Sligo Rovers | Bray Wanderers |
| 1990–91 | Drogheda United (2) | Bray Wanderers | Cobh Ramblers |
| 1991–92 | Limerick City | Waterford United | Cobh Ramblers |
| 1992–93 | Galway United | Cobh Ramblers | Monaghan United |
| 1993–94 | Sligo Rovers | Athlone Town | Finn Harps |
| 1994–95 | UCD | Drogheda United | Finn Harps |
| 1995–96 | Bray Wanderers (2) | Finn Harps | Home Farm Everton |
| 1996–97 | Kilkenny City | Drogheda United | Waterford United |
| 1997–98 | Waterford United (2) | Bray Wanderers | Limerick |
| 1998–99 | Drogheda United (3) | Galway United | Cobh Ramblers |
| 1999–2000 | Bray Wanderers (3) | Longford Town | Kilkenny City |
| 2000–01 | Dundalk | Monaghan United | Athlone Town |
| 2001–02 | Drogheda United (4) | Finn Harps | Dublin City |
| 2002–03 | Waterford United (3) | Finn Harps | Galway United |
| 2003 | Dublin City | Bray Wanderers | Finn Harps |
| 2004 | Finn Harps | UCD | Bray Wanderers |
| 2005 | Sligo Rovers (2) | Dublin City | Cobh Ramblers |
| 2006 | Shamrock Rovers | Dundalk | Galway United |
| 2007 | Cobh Ramblers | Finn Harps | Dundalk |
| 2008 | Dundalk (2) | Shelbourne | Waterford United |
| 2009 | UCD (2) | Shelbourne | Sporting Fingal |
| 2010 | Derry City (2) | Waterford United | Monaghan United |
| 2011 | Cork City | Shelbourne | Monaghan United |
| 2012 | Limerick (2) | Waterford United | Longford Town |
| 2013 | Athlone Town (2) | Longford Town | Mervue United |
| 2014 | Longford Town | Shelbourne | Galway F.C. |
| 2015 | Wexford Youths | Finn Harps | UCD |
| 2016 | Limerick (3) | Drogheda United | UCD |
| 2017 | Waterford (4) | Cobh Ramblers | UCD |
| 2018 | UCD (3) | Finn Harps | Shelbourne |
| 2019 | Shelbourne | Drogheda United | Longford Town |
| 2020 | Drogheda United (5) | Bray Wanderers | UCD |
| 2021 | Shelbourne (2) | Galway United | UCD |
| 2022 | Cork City (2) | Waterford | Galway United |
| 2023 | Galway United (2) | Waterford | Cobh Ramblers |
| 2024 | Cork City (3) | UCD | Wexford |
Source:

## Attendance

| Season | Total | Average | Highest |
| 2016 | 52,987 | 477 | – |
| 2017 | 53,342 | 476 | – |
| 2018 | 59,946 | 422 | – |
| 2019 | 75,795 | 561 | – |
| 2020 | – | – | – |
| 2021 | – | – | – |
| 2022 | 178,000 | 1,193 | – |
| 2023 | 196,050 | 1,089 | – |
Key :
| | Record high |
| | Record low |
| * | Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic |

## List of winners by club

| Club | Titles | Seasons |
| Drogheda United | 5 | 1988–89, 1990–91, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2020 |
| Waterford | 4 | 1989–90, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2017 |
| UCD | 3 | 1994–95, 2009, 2018 |
| Limerick | 3 | 1991–92, 2012, 2016 |
| Bray Wanderers | 3 | 1985–86, 1995–96, 1999–00 |
| Cork City | 3 | 2011, 2022, 2024 |
| Athlone Town | 2 | 1987–88, 2013 |
| Derry City | 2 | 1986–87, 2010 |
| Dundalk | 2 | 2000–01, 2008 |
| Galway United | 2 | 1992–93, 2023 |
| Shelbourne | 2 | 2019, 2021 |
| Sligo Rovers | 2 | 1993–94, 2005 |
| Wexford Youths | 1 | 2015 |
| Longford Town | 1 | 2014 |
| Cobh Ramblers | 1 | 2007 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 1 | 2006 |
| Finn Harps | 1 | 2004 |
| Dublin City | 1 | 2003 |
| Kilkenny City | 1 | 1996–97 |
Source:

## Top scorers

| Season | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1985–86 | Con McLoughlin | Finn Harps | 11 |
| 1985–86 | Harry McLoughlin | Sligo Rovers | 11 |
| 1986–87 | Aleksandar Krstić | Derry City | 18 |
| 1987–88 | Con McLoughlin | Finn Harps | 19 |
| 1988–89 | Pat O'Connor | Home Farm | 14 |
| 1989–90 | John Ryan | Bray Wanderers | 16 |
| 1990–91 | Jim Barr | Monaghan United | 12 |
| 1990–91 | Con McLoughlin | Finn Harps | 12 |
| 1991–92 | Con McLoughlin | Finn Harps | 12 |
| 1991–92 | Barry Ryan | Limerick City | 12 |
| 1992–93 | Mick Byrne | Monaghan United | 15 |
| 1992–93 | Richie Parsons | Longford Town | 15 |
| 1993–94 | Karl Gannon | Home Farm | 16 |
| 1994–95 | Michael O'Byrne | UCD | 14 |
| 1994–95 | Philip Power | Home Farm | 14 |
| 1995–96 | Jonathan Speak | Finn Harps | 17 |
| 1996–97 | Richie Hale | Kilkenny City | 13 |
| 1996–97 | Tony Izzi | Cobh Ramblers | 13 |
| 1997–98 | Fergal Coleman | Galway United | 13 |
| 1998–99 | Tony Izzi | Cobh Ramblers | 13 |
| 1999–00 | Robbie Farrell | Home Farm Fingal | 17 |
| 1999–00 | Andrew Myler | Monaghan United | 17 |
| 1999–00 | Keith O'Connor | Longford Town | 17 |
| 2000–01 | Andrew Myler | Athlone Town | 29 |
| 2001–02 | Kevin McHugh | Finn Harps | 27 |
| 2002–03 | Willie Bruton | Cobh Ramblers | 14 |
| 2002–03 | Kevin McHugh | Finn Harps | 14 |
| 2003 | Alan Murphy | Galway United | 21 |
| 2004 | Kevin McHugh | Finn Harps | 24 |
| 2005 | Kieran O'Reilly | Cobh Ramblers | 17 |
| 2006 | Philip Hughes | Dundalk | 21 |
| 2007 | Conor Gethins | Finn Harps | 15 |
| 2008 | Robbie Doyle | Sporting Fingal | 17 |
| 2009 | Conan Byrne | Sporting Fingal | 21 |
| 2010 | Graham Cummins | Cork City | 18 |
| 2010 | Mark Farren | Derry City | 18 |
| 2010 | Willie John Kiely | Waterford United | 18 |
| 2011 | Graham Cummins | Cork City | 24 |
| 2012 | Sean Maguire | Waterford United | 13 |
| 2012 | Kevin McHugh | Finn Harps | 13 |
| 2012 | Daniel Furlong | Wexford Youths | 13 |
| 2013 | David O'Sullivan | Longford Town | 21 |
| 2014 | David O'Sullivan | Longford Town | 21 |
| 2015 | Daniel Furlong | Wexford Youths | 30 |
| 2016 | Gary O'Neil | UCD | 13 |
| 2017 | Georgie Kelly | UCD | 17 |
| 2018 | David O'Sullivan | Shelbourne | 15 |
| 2019 | Rob Manley | Cabinteely | 17 |
| 2020 | Yousef Mahdy | UCD | 15 |
| 2021 | Colm Whelan | UCD | 19 |
| 2022 | Phoenix Patterson | Waterford | 17 |
| 2023 | Ronan Coughlan | Waterford | 33 |
| 2024 | Dean Ebbe | Athlone Town | 15 |
Source:

### Notes

* ^1 Including 2 goals in playoffs
* ^2 Including 3 goals in playoffs