2008 League of Ireland First Division
| Season | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Dundalk |
| Top goalscorer | Robbie Doyle: 16 (Sporting Fingal)[1] |
← 2007 2009 → | |
The 2008 League of Ireland First Division season was the 24th season of the League of Ireland First Division. The First Division was contested by 10 teams and Dundalk won the division.
Club information
[edit | edit source]Overview
[edit | edit source]The regular season began on 7 March and concluded on 15 November. Each team played the other teams four times, totaling 36 games. Only the champions, Dundalk, were automatically promoted and there was no promotion/relegation play-off between Premier Division and First Division teams. This was because the 2009 Premier Division would be reduced to 10 clubs.[2]
Final table
[edit | edit source]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundalk (C) | 36 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 69 | 30 | +39 | 71 | Premier Division |
| 2 | Shelbourne | 36 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 55 | 25 | +30 | 70 | |
| 3 | Waterford United | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 55 | 35 | +20 | 63 | |
| 4 | Sporting Fingal[a] | 36 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 53 | 32 | +21 | 62 | |
| 5 | Limerick 37 | 36 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 52 | |
| 6 | Monaghan United | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 38 | 51 | −13 | 47 | |
| 7 | Wexford Youths | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 36 | 51 | −15 | 37 | |
| 8 | Longford Town | 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 36 | 55 | −19 | 35 | |
| 9 | Athlone Town | 36 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 23 | 51 | −28 | 32 | |
| 10 | Kildare County[b] | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 34 | 73 | −39 | 26 | Lost promotion/relegation play-off |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ Sporting Fingal replaced Kilkenny City who withdrew from the league before the season started.
- ^ Kildare County were initially relegated to the A Championship after losing a promotion/relegation play-off. However they subsequently gained a reprieve after Cobh Ramblers were refused a First Division licence and were relegated directly from the Premier Division to the A Championship .
Results
[edit | edit source]Matches 1 to 18
[edit | edit source]Rounds 19 and 36
[edit | edit source]Promotion/relegation play-offs
[edit | edit source]Kildare County and Mervue United, the highest ranked non-reserve team from the 2008 A Championship, played off to see who would play in the 2009 First Division.
| 18 November 2008 | Mervue United | 2 – 2 | Kildare County | Fahy's Field |
| 20:00 | Keogh Goldbey |
Report | Hughes |
Referee: Pádraig Sutton (Clare) |
| 21 November 2008 | Kildare County | 0 – 3 | Mervue United | Station Road |
| 19:45 | Report | O'Brien Goldbey |
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford) |
Mervue United won 5–2 on aggregate and were promoted to the First Division.[2]
Top scorers
[edit | edit source]| Goalscorers | Goals | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland Robbie Doyle | 16 | Sporting Fingal[1] |
| Republic of Ireland Anthony Flood | 15 | Shelbourne |
| Republic of Ireland Darren McKenna | 13 | Longford Town |
| Republic of Ireland Robbie Farrell | 11 | Dundalk |
| Republic of Ireland Vinny Sullivan | 11 | Waterford United |
Gallery
[edit | edit source]-
The clubs competing in the 2008 FAI eircom League of Ireland