2021 League of Ireland Premier Division
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2021) |
| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Champions League | League Winner |
| Europa Conference League | League Runner Up League 3rd place FAI Cup Winner |
| Matches played | 65 |
| Goals scored | 158 (2.43 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Adam Foley Mark Doyle Georgie Kelly (6 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Bohemians 5–1 Dundalk (24 May 2021) |
| Biggest away win | Waterford 0–7 Drogheda United (8 May 2021) |
| Highest scoring | Waterford 0–7 Drogheda United (8 May 2021) |
| Longest winning run | Shamrock Rovers (7 games) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Shamrock Rovers (11 games) |
| Longest winless run | Longford Town (12 games) |
| Longest losing run | Waterford (6 games) |
| Highest attendance | 0 |
| Lowest attendance | 0 |
| Average attendance | 0 |
← 2020 2022 →
All statistics correct as of 24 May 2021. | |
The 2021 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the 37th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985. Shamrock Rovers are the defending champions,[2] having won their sixth league title the previous season.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports in the Republic of Ireland, the FAI met with the National League Executive Committee on 2 January 2021 and a decision was reached to move the start date for the Premier Division until at least 19 March 2021.[3]
Teams
Ten teams compete in the league – the top eight teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams are Drogheda United and Longford Town, after respective top flight absences of four and five years. They replaced Cork City (relegated after nine years in the top flight), and Shelbourne (relegated via play-off after only a year back in the top flight).[4][5]
Stadiums and locations
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | Dublin (Phibsborough) | Dalymount Park | 3,640 |
| Derry City | Derry | Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium | 3,700 |
| Drogheda United | Drogheda | Head In The Game Park | 3,500 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk | Oriel Park | 4,500 |
| Finn Harps | Ballybofey | Finn Park | 6,000 |
| Longford Town | Longford | Bishopsgate | 5,097 |
| St Patrick's Athletic | Dublin (Inchicore) | Richmond Park | 5,340 |
| Shamrock Rovers | Dublin (Tallaght) | Tallaght Stadium | 8,000 |
| Sligo Rovers | Sligo | The Showgrounds | 5,500 |
| Waterford | Waterford | Regional Sports Centre | 5,500 |
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 |  Keith Long
|
Keith Buckley
|
O'Neills
|
Des Kelly Interiors
|
| Derry City |  Ruaidhrí Higgins
|
Eoin Toal
|
 Adidas
|
Diamond Corrugated
|
| Drogheda United | Tim Clancy
|
Jake Hyland
|
 Umbro
|
Scotch Hall Shopping Center
|
| Dundalk | Jim Magilton (interim)
|
Brian Gartland
|
Umbro
|
 Bet Regal
|
| Finn Harps | Ollie Horgan
|
Tony McNamee
|
 Joma
|
|
| Longford Town | Daire Doyle
|
Dean Zambra
|
 Macron
|
Bishopsgate
|
| St Patrick's Athletic | Stephen O'Donnell
|
Ian Bermingham
|
Umbro
|
MIG Insurance Brokers
|
| Shamrock Rovers | Stephen Bradley
|
Ronan Finn
|
Umbro
|
 888sport
|
| Sligo Rovers | Liam Buckley
|
David Cawley
|
Joma
|
Avant Money
|
| Waterford |  Marc Bircham
|
Oscar Brennan
|
Umbro
|
WIT Arena
|
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk | Filippo Giovagnoli
|
Change of role | 10 March 2021 | Pre-season | Shane Keegan
|
10 March 2021 |
| Dundalk | Shane Keegan
|
Resigned | 19 April 2021 | 9th | Jim Magilton (interim)
|
19 April 2021 |
| Derry City | Declan Devine
|
Sacked | 22 April 2021 | 10th | Ruaidhrí Higgins
|
23 April 2021 |
| Waterford | Kevin Sheedy
|
Resigned | 5 May 2021 | 10th | Mike Geoghegan (interim)
|
5 May 2021 |
| Waterford | Mike Geoghegan (interim)
|
End of interim spell | 12 May 2021 | 10th | Marc Bircham
|
12 May 2021 |
League table
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers (C) | 36 | 24 | 6 | 6 | 59 | 28 | +31 | 78 | Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | St Patrick's Athletic | 36 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 42 | +14 | 62 | Qualification to Europa Conference League second qualifying round[a] |
| 3 | Sligo Rovers | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 43 | 32 | +11 | 57 | Qualification to Europa Conference League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Derry City | 36 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 49 | 42 | +7 | 54 | |
| 5 | Bohemians | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 60 | 46 | +14 | 52 | |
| 6 | Dundalk | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 44 | 46 | −2 | 48 | |
| 7 | Drogheda United | 36 | 12 | 8 | 16 | 45 | 43 | +2 | 44 | |
| 8 | Finn Harps | 36 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 44 | |
| 9 | Waterford (R) | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 36 | 56 | −20 | 42 | Qualification to Relegation play-offs |
| 10 | Longford Town (R) | 36 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 22 | 71 | −49 | 15 | Relegation to League of Ireland First Division |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.[6]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Since the winners of the 2021 FAI Cup (St Patrick's Athletic) qualified for European competition based on their league position, the final spot awarded to the Cup winner passed to the next best-placed team i.e fourth-placed team.
Positions by round
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward.
= Leader and UEFA Champions League first qualifying round; = UEFA Conference League first qualifying round; = Qualification to the Relegation play-offs; = Relegation to the League of Ireland First Division
Results
Teams will play each other four times (twice at home, twice away).
Matches 1–18
*Note Sligo Rovers were awarded a 3–0 victory by the FAI after Waterford opted out of playing the game due to COVID-19 cases in their squad.[7]
Matches 19–36
Season statistics
Top scorers
Last updated after fixtures on 24 May 2021.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Foley
|
Finn Harps | 6 |
| Mark Doyle
|
Drogheda United | ||
| Georgie Kelly
|
Bohemians | ||
| 4 | Jordan Gibson
|
Sligo Rovers | 5 |
| Chris Lyons
|
Drogheda United | ||
| 6 | Dane Massey
|
Drogheda United | 4 |
| Rory Gaffney
|
Shamrock Rovers | ||
| Danny Mandroiu
|
Shamrock Rovers | ||
| Graham Burke
|
Shamrock Rovers | ||
| Cameron McJannett
|
Derry City | ||
| 11 |  Romeo Parkes
|
Sligo Rovers | 3 |
| Jordan Adeyemo
|
Drogheda United | ||
 Billy King
|
St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| Ronan Boyce
|
Derry City | ||
| Ali Coote
|
Bohemians | ||
| Liam Burt
|
Bohemians | ||
| Ross Tierney
|
Bohemians | ||
| Chris Forrester
|
St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| Dylan Grimes
|
Longford Town | ||
| Ronan Coughlan
|
St Patrick's Athletic |
Most assists
Last updated after fixtures on 24 May 2021.
Clean Sheets
Last updated after fixtures on 24 May 2021.
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ed McGinty
|
Sligo Rovers | 6 |
| 2 |  Vítězslav Jaroš
|
St Patrick's Athletic | 5 |
| 3 | James Talbot
|
Bohemians | 4 |
| Alan Mannus
|
Shamrock Rovers | ||
| 5 | David Odumosu
|
Drogheda United | 3 |
| 6 | Nathan Gartside
|
Derry City | 2 |
| Mark McGinley
|
Finn Harps | ||
| 8 | Peter Cherrie
|
Dundalk | 1 |
| Paul Martin
|
Waterford | ||
| Michael Kelly
|
Longford Town | ||
| Colin McCabe
|
Drogheda United | ||
| Lee Steacy
|
Longford Town |
Awards
Monthly awards
| Month | Player of the Month | References | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Club | ||
| March/April | Chris Forrester
|
St Patrick's Athletic | [8] |
| May | |||
| June | |||
| July | |||
| August | |||
| September | |||
| October | |||
| November | |||
Annual awards
| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| PFAI Player of the Year |
|
|
| PFAI Young Player of the Year |
|
|
| PFAI Premier Division Manager of the Year |
|
| PFAI Team of the Year | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper |
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| Defenders |
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| Midfielders |
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| Forwards |
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See also
- 2021 President of Ireland's Cup
- 2021 FAI Cup
- 2021 League of Ireland First Division
- 2021 Bohemian F.C. season
- 2021 Dundalk F.C. season
- 2021 St Patrick's Athletic F.C. season
References
- ^ "SSE Airtricity extends title sponsorship of League of Ireland". The Irish Times. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- ^ "Shamrock Rovers crowned champions and Cork City relegated after Finn Harps win over Bohs". The 42.ie. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "League of Ireland season deferred until mid-March". RTÉ.ie. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ^ "Drogheda seal promotion as play-off places are decided". RTÉ.ie. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Longford earn promotion as Shels' collapse completed". RTÉ.ie. 15 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Premier Division 2021". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Sligo Rovers awarded victory following Waterford withdrawal due to Covid-cases". rte.ie. RTÉ. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/chris-forrester-named-sse-airtricityswi-april-player-of-the-month/id-3704