| Season | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 17 February – 3 November 2023 |
| Champions | Shamrock Rovers (21st title) |
| Relegated | Cork City UCD |
| Champions League | Shamrock Rovers |
| Conference League | Derry City Shelbourne St Patrick's Athletic |
| Matches | 180 |
| Goals | 469 (2.61 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jonathan Afolabi Jack Moylan (15 goals each) |
| Biggest home win | St Patrick's Athletic 7–0UCD (30 June) |
| Biggest away win | UCD 0–5Derry City (6 September) |
| Highest scoring | Shamrock Rovers 4-4Cork City (6 March) |
| Longest winning run | Shamrock Rovers (6 games) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Shamrock Rovers (13 games) |
| Longest winless run | UCD (10 games) |
| Longest losing run | UCD (8 games) |
| Highest attendance | 8,021 Shamrock Rovers 4–2Sligo Rovers (3 November) |
| Lowest attendance | 317 UCD 0–2Cork City (22 October) |
| Total attendance | 596,196 |
| Average attendance | 3,294 |
←2022 2024 → | |
The2023 League of Ireland Premier Division, known as theSSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, was the 39th season of theLeague of Ireland Premier Division, the top Irish league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1985.
The winners (Shamrock Rovers, their fourth consecutive title and twenty-first overall) qualified for the2024–25 Champions League first qualifying round.[1][2] The2023 FAI Cup winners (St Patrick's Athletic) qualified for the2024–25 Conference League second qualifying round. The runners-up (Derry City) and fourth-placed team (Shelbourne) qualified for the2024–25 Conference League first qualifying round. The ninth-placed team (Cork City) qualified for theLeague of Ireland Premier Division play-off, losing and being relegated to the2024 League of Ireland First Division. They were joined by the bottom-placed team (UCD).
Ten teams competed in the league – the top nine teams from the previous season and the one team promoted from theFirst Division. The promoted team wasCork City, after a top flight absence of two years.[3] They replacedFinn Harps who were relegated after four consecutive seasons in the top flight.[4]
Shamrock Rovers were the defending champions, having won their twentieth title theprevious season.[5][6]
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined underFIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians |  Declan Devine |  Keith Buckley | O'Neills | Des Kelly Interiors |
| Cork City | Richie Holland (interim) | Cian Coleman | Adidas | Zeus |
| Derry City | Ruaidhrí Higgins | Patrick McEleney | O'Neills | Diamond Corrugated |
| Drogheda United | Kevin Doherty | Gary Deegan | Erreà | Drogheda Credit Union |
| Dundalk | Stephen O'Donnell | Patrick Hoban | Playr-Fit | Bet Regal |
| Shamrock Rovers | Stephen Bradley | Ronan Finn | Umbro | MASCOT Workwear |
| Shelbourne | Damien Duff | Luke Byrne | Umbro | Culligan |
| Sligo Rovers | John Russell | David Cawley | Joma | Avant Money |
| St Patrick's Athletic | Jon Daly | Joe Redmond | Umbro | Manguard Plus |
| UCD | Andrew Myler | Jack Keaney | O'Neills | Maples Group |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Patrick's Athletic | Tim Clancy | Mutual Consent | 2 May 2023 | 7th | Jon Daly | 2 May 2023 |
| Cork City | Colin Healy | Resigned | 3 May 2023 | 9th | Liam Buckley (interim) | 3 May 2023 |
| Liam Buckley (interim) | Change of role | 28 September 2023 | 9th | Richie Holland (interim) | 28 September 2023 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers(C) | 36 | 20 | 12 | 4 | 67 | 27 | +40 | 72 | Qualification forChampions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Derry City | 36 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 57 | 24 | +33 | 65 | Qualification forConference League first qualifying round |
| 3 | St Patrick's Athletic | 36 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 62 | Qualification forConference League second qualifying round[a] |
| 4 | Shelbourne | 36 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 44 | 27 | +17 | 60 | Qualification forConference League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Dundalk | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 59 | 44 | +15 | 58 | |
| 6 | Bohemians | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 53 | 40 | +13 | 58 | |
| 7 | Drogheda United | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 40 | 54 | −14 | 41 | |
| 8 | Sligo Rovers | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 36 | 51 | −15 | 37 | |
| 9 | Cork City(R) | 36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 35 | 64 | −29 | 31 | Qualification forplay-off final |
| 10 | UCD(R) | 36 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 19 | 96 | −77 | 11 | Relegation toLeague of Ireland First Division |
Teams play each other four times (twice at home and twice away).
| Home \ Away | BOH | COR | DER | DRO | DUN | SHM | SHE | SLI | STP | UCD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohemians | 5–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | |
| 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | ||
| Cork City | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | |
| 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | ||
| Derry City | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | |
| 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 6–0 | ||
| Drogheda United | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | |
| 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | ||
| Dundalk | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | |
| 2–0 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | ||
| Shamrock Rovers | 2–0 | 4–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | |
| 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | ||
| Shelbourne | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | |
| 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | ||
| Sligo Rovers | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | |
| 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | ||
| St Patrick's Athletic | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | |
| 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 7–0 | ||
| UCD | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | |
| 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
The ninth-placed team (Cork City) qualified for a play-off alongside the second, third, fourth, and fifth-placed teams from the2023 League of Ireland First Division (Athlone Town,Cobh Ramblers,Waterford, andWexford).
The First Division teams contested the quarter and semi-finals. The quarter-finals were held over two legs, with the second-placed team (Waterford) facing the fifth-placed team (Athlone Town) and the third-placed team (Cobh Ramblers) facing the fourth-placed team (Wexford). The quarter-final winners then contested the semi-finals, with the winners ultimately facing the ninth-placed League of Ireland Premier Division team for the final place in the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division.
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Waterford | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||
| Waterford | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | Athlone Town | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Waterford | 2 | Cork City | 1 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Cobh Ramblers | 1 | |||||||||||||
| 3 | Cobh Ramblers | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Wexford | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 24 October 2023 | Athlone Town | 1–1 | Waterford | Athlone |
| 19:45IST | Pierrot 78' | Report | Coughlan 52' | Stadium:Athlone Town Stadium Attendance: 1,597 Referee: Oliver Moran |
| 24 October 2023 | Wexford | 0–1 | Cobh Ramblers | Wexford |
| 19:45IST | Report | O'Malley 15' (o.g.) | Stadium:Ferrycarrig Park Attendance: 1,010 Referee: Alan Patchell |
| 28 October 2023 | Waterford | 3–1 (4–2agg.) | Athlone Town | Waterford |
| 19:45IST | Akachukwu 64',78',90+4' | Report | Pierrot 71' (pen.) | Stadium:RSC Attendance: 2,237 Referee: Gavin Colfer |
| 28 October 2023 | Cobh Ramblers | 1–1 (2–1agg.) | Wexford | Cobh |
| 19:45IST | O'Leary 75' | Report | Crawford 35' | Stadium:St. Colman's Park Referee: Marc Lynch |
| 4 November 2023 | Waterford | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Cobh Ramblers | Cork |
| 17:00IST | Coughlan 47' Phillips 100' | Report | McKevitt 88' | Stadium:Turners Cross Referee: D Dunne |
| 10 November 2023 | Waterford | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Cork City | Dublin |
| 19:45IST | Parsons 68' Coughlan 101' (pen.) | Report | Coleman 55' | Stadium:Tallaght Stadium Referee: D McGraith |
| Month | Player of the Month | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Club | ||
| February | Jordan McEneff | Derry City | [12] |
| March |  Ali Coote | Bohemians | [13] |
| April | Ronan Coughlan | Waterford | [14] |
| May |  Freddie Draper | Drogheda United | [15] |
| June | Patrick Hoban | Dundalk | [16] |
| July | Jonathan Afolabi | Bohemians | [17] |
| August | James Clarke | Bohemians | [18] |
| September | Ruairí Keating | Cork City | [19] |
| October | Jack Moylan | Shelbourne | [20] |
| November | Ronan Coughlan | Waterford | [21] |
| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| PFAI Player of the Year | Chris Forrester | St Patrick's Athletic |
| PFAI Young Player of the Year | Sam Curtis | St Patrick's Athletic |
| PFAI Premier Division Manager of the Year | Stephen Bradley | Shamrock Rovers |
