2018 League of Ireland Fixtures

[nigel-harps1954]

Fixtures leaked early on league website. Removed now though.

Drogheda v Finn Harps first game in the First Division anyway. After that..I've no idea of fixtures for the rest of the clubs.

[El-Pietro]

We apparently have Dundalk and Rovers back to back again this season. Great...

[El-Pietro]

Derry seem to have the same problem
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/943066468652126208

[brendy_éire]

Derry away first three games would confirm the rumours about the Brandywell not being quite ready for mid-February.

[El-Pietro]

Derry play the same teams we play in the exact same order.


Waterford


Sligo


Bohs


Dundalk


Shamrock


Limerick



Their seventh game is vs Bray, it would make sense that our eighth game is vs Bray and theres vs Pats and then we play each other.
Pats play the following teams in the same pattern as both us and Derry
Waterford, Sligo and Bohs. They do not have Dundalk or Rovers among their first five fixtures (the image I saw only had those five), if Dundalk and Rovers are their next two then it will be interesting to see if that pattern repeats further among other clubs. It also gives Rovers a pretty strong advantage if they are playing every team directly after Dundalk play them. I suspect it won't carry into every team as I don't think you could make that work.

[Northsider]

Bohs hosting Shamrock Rovers in the first game I'm hearing, oooooft!

[nigel-harps1954]

Finally released proper..

Pat Fenlon seemingly has moved to Cabinteely..

Available here (http://sseairtricityleague.ie/news/sse-airtricity-league-2018-premier-and-first-division-fixtures-released/id-1191)




The fixtures for the 2018 SSE Airtricity League season have been confirmed.

The 2018 season will open with a Dublin Derby as Bohemians host Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park on Friday, February 16th.

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Champions and Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup holders Cork City are set to travel to St. Patrick’s Athletic with last season’s runners-up Dundalk set to face Bray Wanderers.

2017 First Division Champions Waterford will start their 2018 Premier Division campaign against Derry City at the Regional Sports Centre whilst Sligo Rovers host Limerick.

The First Division season is set to begin a week later on Friday, February 23rd with Galway United set to host local rivals Athlone Town at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Drogheda United and Finn Harps, who were both relegated from the Premier Division last season, will face each other at United Park whilst Shelbourne travel to UCD.

Pat Fenlon’s Cabinteely side will host Wexford at Stradbrook whilst Cobh Ramblers travel to Longford Town on Saturday, February 24th to complete the opening weekend of the First Division.

As previously confirmed, there will be 36 Premier Division league games and 27 First Division league games throughout the season.

The Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup final will be played on Sunday, November 4th and the EA SPORTS Cup final will be played on Saturday, September 15th.

The President's Cup final between Dundalk and Cork City will take at Oriel Park on Sunday, February 11th, with kick-off at 2pm.

A full fixture list can be downloaded by clicking here... (http://cms.sseairtricityleague.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/2018%20Season%20SSE%20Airtricity%20League%20Fixtur e%20List.pdf)

[nigel-harps1954]

Playoffs are incredibly congested and FAI Cup has three rounds within a month again.

If you finish second in the First Division, you've three weeks to wait on a competitive game. 3rd and 4th play each other in the playoff, but have a week off before playing their first leg game and their second leg game down for three days later, which makes no sense to me as they could have played the week after the end of the season and the following weekend again.

First Division playoff winner then has their home leg of the playoff final on a Monday night, which is a total balls.

[brendy_éire]

If you finish second in the First Division, you've three weeks to wait on a competitive game. 3rd and 4th play each other in the playoff, but have a week off before playing their first leg game and their second leg game down for three days later, which makes no sense to me as they could have played the week after the end of the season and the following weekend again.

I get that they want to leave the week ending 30th September free for cup matches, but you'd imagine it's unlikely that any FD club would be involved at that stage. In that case, maybe the matches could be brought forward?

[mcgonigle]

A bye in week 1, we should be nice and rested for Rovers away then

[placid casual]

First two games between Rovers and Cork are on Monday night's. That won't be good for either sides away attendance.
Should be good craic piling into the jodi for the 1st game of the season anyway.

[sbgawa]

Des kelly for me. Looking forward to it already. ....THE FOOTBALL IS BACK

[placid casual]

With a limit of 800 tickets it means its never a guarantee to get a ticket. If not, it's into the jodi we go.

[sbgawa]

Buy a season ticket and you should get one

[patrickccfc]

We play Limerick twice in May, the 4th and 21st. Has this happened anyone else?

[EnzoScifo10]

We play Limerick twice in May, the 4th and 21st. Has this happened anyone else?

There are 4 games on May 21 / 22. They should have been played on July 13 but have being moved forward ( I presume the 4 teams in Europe are being given a free weekend). All 4 games are a repeat of the fixtures on May 4th so everyone in the same boat apart from Bohs v Sligo which will be played in July.

[CorribsideSteve]

Cracking opening fixture between Bohs and Shams. Should be 3K easily at that one. St Pats vs Cork another interesting one, Pats have strengthened a fair bit in recent weeks with new signings and they beat Cork 4-2 at the end of the season having been 2-0 down. Apparently, the Pat Fenlon Cabinteely thing was just a typo that RTE Sport has since amended, thought that would have been a strange move.

[sbgawa]

Horrible thought....Cabo playing Fenlon style ...ugh...

[Philosophizer]

Cracking opening fixture between Bohs and Shams. Should be 3K easily at that one. St Pats vs Cork another interesting one, Pats have strengthened a fair bit in recent weeks with new signings and they beat Cork 4-2 at the end of the season having been 2-0 down. Apparently, the Pat Fenlon Cabinteely thing was just a typo that RTE Sport has since amended, thought that would have been a strange move.

There will be a lot more than 3k, regardless of what the official attendance will say. And still there will be many left outside, like I was last year unfortunately.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

One home game in July, one in August and one in September. We’ll need another big summer draw.

[El-Pietro]

Cracking opening fixture between Bohs and Shams. Should be 3K easily at that one. St Pats vs Cork another interesting one, Pats have strengthened a fair bit in recent weeks with new signings and they beat Cork 4-2 at the end of the season having been 2-0 down.
That 4-2 was 3 days after we won the league. We completely changed our team. The fact that we went 2-0 up tells as much as the fact that we lost.

[Dalymountrower]

With a limit of 800 tickets it means its never a guarantee to get a ticket. If not, it's into the jodi we go.

Never a problem with a few of you being down the Phibsboro end of the Jodi, a bit more mixing of fans while keeping the local nut jobs and Cardiff/Wrexham clowns away would do the fixture a world of good.
Should be some craic at the new Liam Whelan bridge Luas stop!

[Kingswood Rover]

Never a problem with a few of you being down the Phibsboro end of the Jodi, a bit more mixing of fans while keeping the local nut jobs and Cardiff/Wrexham clowns away would do the fixture a world of good.
Should be some craic at the new Liam Whelan bridge Luas stop!
Here here, i have been in the Jodi as an away supporter never a problem, just people enjoying the game, but a few spacers from both manky mobs could ruin that.

[oriel]

Waterford away in the May BH weekend is a great date for the stay over away trip, already a lot of talk about this from Dundalk fans. Hotel booked !

[CorribsideSteve]

That 4-2 was 3 days after we won the league. We completely changed our team. The fact that we went 2-0 up tells as much as the fact that we lost.

True. I just meant the result would be fresh in the minds of at least those who were involved for both sides. Doesn't amount to all that much aside from the fact that Cork need to be wary and Pats know they are capable of picking up a good result based on it.

[placid casual]

Never a problem with a few of you being down the Phibsboro end of the Jodi, a bit more mixing of fans while keeping the local nut jobs and Cardiff/Wrexham clowns away would do the fixture a world of good.
Should be some craic at the new Liam Whelan bridge Luas stop!

Theres no direct luas from Tallaght to Phibsboro:snicker:

agree about the Jodi. have seen 4/5 derby games from there, and no bother.

btw, cracking name for a bridge! good to see proper dublin sporting hero's remembered in the city

[littlebray]

There's no direct luas from Tallaght to Phibsboro :snicker:

They'll get lost changing lines in O'Connell St/Abbey St :cool:

[Charlie Darwin]

Never a problem with a few of you being down the Phibsboro end of the Jodi, a bit more mixing of fans while keeping the local nut jobs and Cardiff/Wrexham clowns away would do the fixture a world of good.
Should be some craic at the new Liam Whelan bridge Luas stop!
Let's just hope the Liverpool mob stay away.

[Martinho II]

Never a problem with a few of you being down the Phibsboro end of the Jodi, a bit more mixing of fans while keeping the local nut jobs and Cardiff/Wrexham clowns away would do the fixture a world of good.
Should be some craic at the new Liam Whelan bridge Luas stop!

speaking of luas stops whats the closest luas stop if you are an away fan?

[nigel-harps1954]

speaking of luas stops whats the closest luas stop if you are an away fan?

Would assume it's the one in Phibsboro.

[Charlie Darwin]

Cabra stop is probably quicker for the Jodi, Phibsboro for the shed. Both about the same distance but Cabra avoids getting stuck at the traffic lights.

[Bray Head]

Just seen that the FAI have fixed a friendly away to Turkey on Friday 23rd March. I presume this will be an evening kick off which will clash with a full fixture list in the LOI.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Just seen that the FAI have fixed a friendly away to Turkey on Friday 23rd March. I presume this will be an evening kick off which will clash with a full fixture list in the LOI.

LOI games never on the same time as Ireland, as always the fixtures will be moved to the Saturday. Shows lack of prior planning on the FAI’s part though and where the league is on the list of priorities....

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Would assume it's the one in Phibsboro.

Platforms about a meter wide at the phibsboro stop so it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

[Northsider]

. If not, it's into the jodi we go.

Not any more......

Bohemian FC 🔴 ⚫‏Verified account @bfcdublin (https://twitter.com/bfcdublin)Following @bfcdublinMore



1/2 Tickets to all of #Bohs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bohs?src=hash)' 2018 league games are now on sale online at http://tickets.bohemians.ie (https://t.co/zF8TbJ0f3X). https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/1f534.pnghttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/26ab.png


Please note online sales for our league opener against Shamrock Rovers on Friday February 16 are for home fans ONLY. Away fans will be denied entry to the Jodi Stand.

Away fans for this fixture must purchase tickets directly from Shamrock Rovers – their allocation for the Des Kelly Stand will be made available from Tallaght Stadium in the coming weeks.

[placid casual]

Fair enough, if its a complete sell out.
If the stiles are open for walk ups, there will be Rovers fans on the home end, trust me.
I should add, the Rovers fans who do normally go in the home end are just there to watch the game. The windy pavement dancers are normally at the other end of the stand! :)

[oriel]

What the absolute max for Dalymout these days with only two sides open? For such a high profile match of Bobs v Rovers, I’ve been surprised in recent years the crowds for that fixture was just over 4K, maybe it’s a capacity or ticket restrictions thing.

[Philosophizer]

What the absolute max for Dalymout these days with only two sides open? For such a high profile match of Bobs v Rovers, I’ve been surprised in recent years the crowds for that fixture was just over 4K, maybe it’s a capacity or ticket restrictions thing.

It's definitely a capacity thing. I, along with a couple of hundred others, was unable to get tickets last year and was tuned away at the door at Dalyer coz it was sold out..

[brendy_éire]

It begins....
http://www.derrycityfc.net/2018/02/brandywell-update-sligo-game-rearranged/?dcfc

[osarusan]

It begins....
http://www.derrycityfc.net/2018/02/brandywell-update-sligo-game-rearranged/?dcfc

How close are you to actually being ready? Will more games be switched?

[brendy_éire]

How close are you to actually being ready? Will more games be switched?

Passed it the other day and there would still be a decent bit to do to allow it to opened to the public. Walls to finish off, tarmac to put down, etc.

The Council have said mid-March, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Dundalk game on 2nd March is moved too.

[oriel]

Why don’t Derry look at the option of using Buncrana’s ground in the interim period where the Brandywell is not ready. Also when are they expecting to make a decision about the Dundalk game?

[DannyInvincible]

What would happen if Dundalk refused to agree to have the fixture switched to Oriel Park?

[Charlie Darwin]

Derry would have to find another location.

[nigel-harps1954]

The game would be postponed one would assume

[DannyInvincible]

Derry would have to find another location.

Or forfeit the fixture presumably?

I'm not overly familiar with the ins and outs of the licensing agreement, but was the licence not already awarded on the basis that the Brandywell will be used? Would requesting to use, say, Maginn Park as home ground again for a few weeks cause complications on that front or would it be a fairly straightforward matter of switching the relevant ties over (assuming Maginn Park was even available)?

[pineapple stu]

The game would be postponed one would assume
You'd have to think that not having a ground available would be a more serious issue than, say, the pitch being waterlogged. I think it's probably more likely they'd be required to go off and find a venue or, as Danny suggests, scratch.

[EnzoScifo10]

Just had a good look at the fixtures for we who cant be named. WTF.. We have 4 home games in March and 3 home games total in the 3 months of July, August and September? At 1 stage we are at home for 5 out of 6 weekends in a row yet we play Dundalk on Sept 1st and our next home game is Derry on Oct 6th.

[nigel-harps1954]

Just had a good look at the fixtures for we who cant be named. WTF.. We have 4 home games in March and 3 home games total in the 3 months of July, August and September? At 1 stage we are at home for 5 out of 6 weekends in a row yet we play Dundalk on Sept 1st and our next home game is Derry on Oct 6th.

Hello, I can see that you are new. Welcome to the League of Ireland.

[EnzoScifo10]

Hello, I can see that you are new. Welcome to the League of Ireland.

Far from it but you would think (schoolboy error :silly:) that with 10 teams it would have got better not worse.