Best first Div in Years?

[SeanDrog]

I have to say I’m finding the 1st div really competitive and great to watch this year. So many teams on equal par that it’s a hard one to call. I had serious reservations on the top going to ten teams but from the 1st div side of things I think it’s been positive (for this year at least).

I also think the more equal spread of clubs around the country adds to it (just my opinion).

(I apologise to the foot.ie community for open displays of positivity 😘 )

[pineapple stu]

Definitely one of the most competitive. 2009 was also a great title battle (UCD/ Fingal/Shels). I think the standard was much better then (eg UCD with Finn, McMillan, Kilduff, Bolger, Boyle, etc), and Fingal being full-time to an extent I think? They won the cup that year too.

[nigel-harps1954]

Definitely as competitive as it's been, but there's been a few higher standard years.

[Longfordian]

Sure why would anyone want to leave it? Get to the play offs and lose, that’ll do me.

[total hoofball]

It's competitive yes, because you have an extra two teams, no one team out of the ten spending crazy sums and about 6 teams at the top with similar budgets which is reflected in the table so far

In terms on standards, it's pretty poor stuff, the First division had it's best years between 2008-11 and whoever goes up is going straight back down unless they are full-time and have cash to spend like Limerick and Waterford from the past couple of seasons. Not a chance a First Division team will beat Bray/Limerick/Sligo/Bohs/Shamrock Rovers in a two-legged play-off either.

[Longfordian]

Tend to agree with pretty much all of that if I’m honest. I’d have expected the teams that came down last year to be stronger than they are at the moment. I don’t think we’ll go up this year because we don’t score enough but we’ll be competitive. I’ve missed a lot of games but by all accounts only UCD outplayed us.

[JC_GUFC]

There has never been a Division 1 team where the 6th team has been as strong as they are this season and you could say that about the 5th and 4th teams too.

As for the playoffs the Premier team will be favs but the competitive nature will help the Div 1 team going into it as they will be on the back of at least one good win or possibly 2 if the 3rd or 4th team reaches the final.

Again looking to next year it depends who goes up. I think Galway would be most suited to adapting to Premier Division life in terms of increasing the budget etc.

[outspoken]

Totally agree with above, very competitive and I’m finding the big games for us (Ltfc v Shels, drogs, Galway etc) very entertaining but games against Wexford, athlone, Cobh etc are absolutely horrendous to watch. They drag you down to their level and the pitches are absolutely crap.