The 2011 League of Ireland First Division season was the 27th 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. Th ...

. The First Division was contested by 11 teams and

Cork City Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

won the title.

Teams

Overview

This season the division featured 11 clubs. This was because

Sporting Fingal Sporting Fingal Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Fine Gall Spórtúil) was an Irish association football club based in Fingal. Between 2008 and 2010, the club played three seasons in the League of Ireland. During their first two seasons they ...

withdrew from the Premier Division shortly before the season was due to start.

Drogheda United Drogheda United Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Dhroichead Átha Aontaithe) is a semi-professional Irish association football club based in Drogheda, County Louth playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division. They play their home matches ...

, who were originally due to play in the 2011 First Division after being relegated from the 2010 Premier Division, were drafted in to replace Sporting Fingal in the top division. Each team played the other teams three times, totaling 30 games.

finished as champions and were automatically promoted to the Premier Division. Runners up Shelbourne were also promoted, as were third placed

Monaghan United Monaghan United F.C. ( ga, Cumann Peile Mhuineacháin Aontaithe) is an Irish association football club based in Monaghan currently playing in the Ulster Senior League. The club joined the League of Ireland in 1983 and subsequently went on to pl ...

after winning a play-off.

Final table

Results

Matches 1–20

Matches 21–30

Promotion/Relegation play-off

Galway United, the tenth-placed team in the 2011 Premier Division, and

, the third-placed team of the First Division, played off to see who would play in the 2012 Premier Division. The playoff was contested in a two-legged format. ''Monaghan United won 5–1 on aggregate and were promoted to the Premier Division. Galway United were relegated to the First Division.''

Awards

Top Goalscorers

Player of the Year

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2011 League of Ireland First Division League of Ireland First Division seasons 2011 League of Ireland 2011 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 ...