2016 League of Ireland Premier Division

The 2016 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 32nd season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The league began on 4 March 2016[6] and concluded on 28 October 2016; the relegation play-offs followed on 31 October and 4 November 2016. The prize fund for the SSE Airtricity League Premier and First Divisions was €475,500 for the 2016 season.[7]

League of Ireland Premier Division
Season2016
ChampionsDundalk (12th title)
RelegatedLongford Town
Wexford Youths
Champions LeagueDundalk
Europa LeagueCork City
Derry City
Shamrock Rovers
Matches played198
Goals scored511 (2.58 per match)
Top goalscorerSean Maguire (18 goals)
Biggest home winCork City 6–0 Longford Town
(14 March 2016)[1]
Biggest away winFinn Harps 0–7 Dundalk
(13 May 2016)[2]
Highest scoringWexford Youths 5–4 Galway United
(14 October 2016)[3]
Highest attendance5,453[4] Cork City 1–0 Dundalk F.C.
Total attendance291,258
Average attendance1,471[5]
← 2015
2017 →

Dundalk were crowned champions for the third year in a row on 23 October after a 2–1 win against Bohemians.[8][9][10]

Overview

The Premier Division consisted of 12 teams. Each team played each other three times, a total of 33 matches in the season.

Wexford Youths, the 2015 First Division champion, entered the top level for the first time in their history. Finn Harps were promoted after winning the promotion/relegation playoffs.

The 12 clubs competed for €371,500 in prize money ranging from €110,000 for the winners to €17,000 for the team finishing bottom of the table.[11]

Teams
Locations of 2016 Premier Division teams
Locations of 2016 Premier Division teams
Team Home city/suburb Stadium
BohemiansPhibsborough, DublinDalymount Park
Bray WanderersBrayCarlisle Grounds
Cork CityCorkTurner's Cross
Derry CityDerryBrandywell Stadium
DundalkDundalkOriel Park
Finn HarpsBallybofeyFinn Park
Galway UnitedGalwayEamonn Deacy Park
Longford TownLongfordCity Calling Stadium
Shamrock RoversTallaght, DublinTallaght Stadium
Sligo RoversSligoThe Showgrounds
St Patrick's AthleticInchicore, DublinRichmond Park
Wexford YouthsCrossabegFerrycarrig Park

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 Republic of Ireland Keith Long Republic of Ireland Derek Pender Hummel Mr Green
Bray Wanderers Republic of Ireland Harry Kenny Republic of Ireland Conor Kenna Nike Sonas Bathrooms
Cork City Republic of Ireland John Caulfield Republic of Ireland John Dunleavy Nike Clonakilty Sausages
Derry City Northern Ireland Kenny Shiels Northern Ireland Ryan McBride Hummel Diamond Corrugated
Dundalk Republic of Ireland Stephen Kenny Republic of Ireland Stephen O'Donnell CX+ Sport Fyffes
Finn Harps Republic of Ireland Ollie Horgan Republic of Ireland Kevin McHugh Legea McGettigan Group
Galway United Republic of Ireland Tommy Dunne Republic of Ireland Ryan Connolly Uhlsport Comer Property Management
Longford Town Republic of Ireland Tony Cousins Republic of Ireland Mark Salmon Macron City Calling
Shamrock Rovers Republic of Ireland Pat Fenlon Republic of Ireland Conor Kenna New Balance Pepper
Sligo Rovers England Dave Robertson Republic of Ireland Gavin Peers Joma Volkswagen
St Patrick's Athletic Republic of Ireland Liam Buckley Republic of Ireland Ger O'Brien Umbro Clune Construction Company L.P.
Wexford Youths Republic of Ireland Shane Keegan Republic of Ireland Graham Doyle Bodibro SBOBET

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Dundalk (C) 33 25 2 6 73 28 +45 77 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
2 Cork City 33 21 7 5 65 23 +42 70 Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Derry City 33 17 11 5 48 29 +19 62
4 Shamrock Rovers 33 16 7 10 46 34 +12 55
5 Sligo Rovers 33 13 10 10 42 35 +7 49
6 Bray Wanderers 33 13 7 13 39 40 −1 46
7 St Patrick's Athletic 33 13 6 14 45 41 +4 45
8 Bohemians 33 12 5 16 30 37 −7 41
9 Galway United 33 10 8 15 44 54 −10 38
10 Finn Harps 33 8 8 17 23 49 −26 32
11 Wexford Youths (R) 33 6 5 22 31 70 −39 23 Qualification to Relegation play-offs
12 Longford Town (R) 33 2 8 23 25 71 −46 14 Relegation to League of Ireland First Division
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[12]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Cork City qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2016 FAI Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

Results

Matches 1–22

Teams played each other twice (once at home, once away).

Home \ Away BOH BRW COR DER DUN FHA GAL LON SHM SLI StP WEX
Bohemians — 0–0 0–1 0–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–4 1–0 5–1 3–3
Bray Wanderers 0–2 — 0–2 0–3 1–3 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–1 4–0 1–0 3–0
Cork City 2–0 4–0 — 2–1 1–0 3–1 5–3 6–0 2–0 1–2 1–0 1–1
Derry City 1–0 2–0 1–0 — 0–5 2–2 2–1 4–0 3–0 0–2 1–1 1–0
Dundalk 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–1 — 3–0 2–1 4–3 1–1 1–0 2–0 3–2
Finn Harps 0–0 1–0 0–1 2–1 0–7 — 1–0 1–0 0–1 3–0 1–2 0–1
Galway United 1–0 4–0 2–2 0–0 1–0 1–0 — 2–2 0–1 1–2 0–3 4–2
Longford Town 0–1 1–1 0–3 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 — 0–2 2–2 0–1 2–4
Shamrock Rovers 3–1 2–0 0–0 0–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 2–1 — 3–0 0–2 2–0
Sligo Rovers 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–1[lower-alpha 1] 1–1 3–0 0–2 — 1–0 4–1
St Patrick's Athletic 3–0 1–2 3–1 0–1 0–4 4–0 1–3 3–3 0–2 1–1 — 4–0
Wexford Youths 0–1 2–0 0–1 1–2 1–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–5 0–1 —
Source: SSE Airtricity League, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. Match abandoned due to floodlight failure. League Director ruled that the score would stand.

Matches 23–33

Teams played each other once.

Home \ Away BOH BRW COR DER DUN FHA GAL LON SHM SLI StP WEX
Bohemians — — — — 1–2 — — 1–0 1–0 3–2 — 1–0
Bray Wanderers 2–1 — 4–1 2–2 2–1 — — — — 4–0 2–1 —
Cork City 0–0 — — — — 2–0 — 5–2 3–0 — 3–1 5–0
Derry City 2–1 — 0–0 — — — 0–0 — 2–2 2–1 — —
Dundalk — — 2–1 3–1 — 2–0 4–1 — — 0–3 — —
Finn Harps 1–0 2–1 — 0–5 — — — 0–1 0–2 — 1–1 —
Galway United 2–0 0–2 0–5 — — 3–2 — 0–0 — — — —
Longford Town — 0–2 — 2–3 0–3 — — — 2–4 — 0–1 —
Shamrock Rovers — 0–0 — — 0–3 — 4–2 — — — 0–0 3–1
Sligo Rovers — — 0–0 — — 0–0 2–1 1–0 3–2 — — 5–0
St Patrick's Athletic 0–1 — — 0–2 5–2 — 1–0 — — 0–0 — 4–1
Wexford Youths — 1–3 — 0–0 0–1 0–0 5–4 2–0 — — — —
Source: SSE Airtricity League, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion/relegation playoffs

Wexford Youths, the eleventh-placed team from the Premier Division took part in a two-legged play-off against Drogheda United, the winners of the 2016 First Division play-off, to decide who will play in the 2017 Premier Division.

First leg
31 October 2016 (2016-10-31) Wexford Youths 2–0 Drogheda United Crossabeg
19:45 GMT
  • Furlong 66'
  • Chin 90+1'
 Report Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park
Attendance: 616
Referee: Raymond Matthews

Second leg
4 November 2016 (2016-11-04) Drogheda United 3–0
(3–2 agg.)		 Wexford Youths Drogheda
19:45 GMT
Report Stadium: United Park
Referee: Graham Kelly

Drogheda United are promoted to the 2017 Premier Division; Wexford Youths are relegated to the 2017 First Division.

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals[13]
1 Republic of Ireland Sean Maguire Cork City 18
2 Northern Ireland Rory Patterson Derry City 17
3 Republic of Ireland David McMillan Dundalk 16
4 Republic of Ireland Vincent Faherty Galway United 12
5 Republic of Ireland Conan Byrne St Patrick's Athletic 11
6 Republic of Ireland Raffaele Cretaro Sligo Rovers 10
Republic of Ireland Kurtis Byrne Bohemians 10
Republic of Ireland Christy Fagan St Patrick's Athletic 10
Republic of Ireland Gary McCabe Shamrock Rovers 10
10 Republic of Ireland Daryl Horgan Dundalk 9

See also

References
  1. "CORK CITY VS. LONGFORD TOWN 6 - 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. "FINN HARPS VS. DUNDALK 0 - 7". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  3. "WEXFORD YOUTHS VS. GALWAY UNITED 5 - 4". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  4. "League of Ireland Attendances 2016 - The Final Story (Updated)". extra time. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  5. "League of Ireland Attendances 2016 - The Final Story (Updated)". extratime. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  6. "2016 season to kick-off on March 4". SSE Airtricity League. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  7. "Breakdown of 2016 SSE Airtricity League Prize-Money". SSE Airtricity League. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  8. "Three-in-a-row for Dundalk as Kenny's men wrap up Premier Division title". The 42. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  9. "Dundalk are crowned the Airtricity League Premier Division champions for the third time in a row". Irish Independent. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  10. "Dundalk crowned champions after beating Bohemians". RTÉ Sport. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  11. "Breakdown of 2016 SSE Airtricity League Prize-Money". SSE Airtricity League. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  12. "PREMIER DIVISION 2016 - Season rules". Scoresway. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  13. "Member associations - Republic of Ireland - League  – UEFA.com". Retrieved 8 July 2016.
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