# 2010 League of Ireland Premier Division

The 2010 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 26th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The division was made up of 10 teams. Shamrock Rovers were champions while Bohemians finished as runners-up.

## Teams

| Team | Base | Stadium |
| Bohemians | Phibsborough | Dalymount Park |
| Bray Wanderers | Bray | Carlisle Grounds |
| Drogheda United | Drogheda | United Park |
| Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park |
| Galway United | Galway | Terryland Park |
| Shamrock Rovers | Tallaght | Tallaght Stadium |
| Sligo Rovers | Sligo | The Showgrounds |
| Sporting Fingal | Fingal | Morton Stadium |
| St. Patrick's Athletic | Inchicore | Richmond Park |
| UCD | Belfield | UCD Bowl |

## Overview

Airtricity were announced as the new main sponsor for the League of Ireland on 26 February. The prize fund for the season was set at €911,000. The 2010 Premier Division featured 10 clubs. The regular season began on 5 March and concluded on 29 October. Each team played every other team four times, totalling 36 matches. On the final day of the season, Shamrock Rovers won the title with a 2–2 draw away to Bray Wanderers. Second placed Bohemians finished level on points with Rovers but lost out on goal difference.

## Final table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers (C) | 36 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 57 | 34 | +23 | 67 | Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Bohemians | 36 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 50 | 29 | +21 | 67 | Qualification to Europa League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Sligo Rovers | 36 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 61 | 36 | +25 | 63 | Qualification to Europa League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Sporting Fingal (R) | 36 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 60 | 38 | +22 | 62 | Withdrew from league |
| 5 | St Patrick's Athletic | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 55 | 33 | +22 | 57 | Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round |
| 6 | Dundalk | 36 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 50 | −4 | 48 | |
| 7 | UCD | 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 47 | 54 | −7 | 41 | |
| 8 | Galway United (O) | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 38 | 59 | −21 | 38 | Qualification to Relegation play-off |
| 9 | Bray Wanderers (O) | 36 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 35 | 72 | −37 | 27 | Qualification to Relegation play-off |
| 10 | Drogheda United | 36 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 30 | 74 | −44 | 21 | Spared from relegation |
* ↑ Sligo Rovers qualified for the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round after winning the 2010 FAI Cup Final.
* ↑ Sporting Fingal withdrew from League of Ireland due to financial difficulties shortly before the 2011 Premier Division season.
* ↑ Drogheda United were originally relegated but retained there place in the Premier Division after Sporting Fingal withdrew.

## Results
### Matches 1–18

| Home \ Away | BOH | BRW | DRO | DUN | GAL | SHM | SLI | SFI | StP | UCD |
| Bohemians | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Bray Wanderers | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 |
| Drogheda United | 2–4 | 0–0 | — | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| Dundalk | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Galway United | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 |
| Sligo Rovers | 1–2 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Sporting Fingal | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 3–0 |
| UCD | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | — |

### Matches 19–36

| Home \ Away | BOH | BRW | DRO | DUN | GAL | SHM | SLI | SFI | StP | UCD |
| Bohemians | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Bray Wanderers | 0–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 |
| Drogheda United | 0–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
| Dundalk | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 |
| Galway United | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 |
| Sligo Rovers | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | — | 4–3 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Sporting Fingal | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 4–1 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 |
| UCD | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | — |

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Scorer | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Gary Twigg | Shamrock Rovers | 20 |
| 2 | Pádraig Amond | Sligo Rovers | 17 |
| 3 | Ciarán Kilduff | UCD | 15 |
| 4 | Jake Kelly | Bray Wanderers | 14 |
| 5 | Jason Byrne | Bohemians | 12 |
| 5 | Fahrudin Kuduzović | Dundalk | 12 |

## Promotion/relegation play-off

The eighth and ninth placed teams from the Premier Division, Galway United and Bray Wanderers, played off after the regular season was completed. The winner would retain a place in the 2011 Premier Division. The loser would play off against the winner of the 2010 First Division play off. The winner of this match would also gain a place in the 2010 Premier Division.

### Premier Division

Galway United retain their place in the 2011 Premier Division

### Premier Division v First Division

Bray Wanderers won 7 – 6 on penalties and retained their place in the Premier Division