The 2018 League of Ireland First Division season was the 34th season of the

League of Ireland First Division The League of Ireland First Division ( ga, Céad Roinn Sraith na hÉireann), also known as the SSE Airtricity League First Division, is the second level division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland football league system. ...

. The league began on 23 February 2018 and concluded on 22 September 2018. Contrary to the previous editions, this tournament had 10 teams, which was the largest number since the 2011 season season, and saw the return of the promotion/relegation playoffs.

Overview

The First Division has 10 teams. Each team plays each other three times for a total of 27 matches in the season. On 22 December 2016, the FAI announced that the league would be restructured into two 10-team divisions from the 2018 season onwards, one of the recommendations made in the 2015 Conroy Report.

Teams

Stadia and locations

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.

League table

Results

Matches 1–18

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

Matches 19–27

Teams play each other once.

Top scorers

Play-Offs

The second, third and fourth placed First Division teams played off to decide who would play

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

, the ninth placed team from the

Premier Division Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of gov ...

. The winner of this play off would play in the 2019 Premier Division. ;Semi-finals ''2–2 on aggregate. Drogheda United win on penalties.'' ;Finals ''Finn Harps win 3–1 on aggregate.'' ;Relegation-promotion match ''Finn Harps won 3–0 on aggregate and were promoted to 2019 Premier Division. Limerick were relegated to the 2019 First Division.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2018 League of Ireland First Division League of Ireland First Division seasons 2018 League of Ireland 2018 in Republic of Ireland association football leagues

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...