Pos. Team P W D L F A +/- Pts.
1 Limerick 22 20 2 0 77 22 55 62
2 Drogheda United 22 11 7 4 34 25 9 40
3 UCD 22 11 5 6 42 33 9 38
4 Cobh Ramblers 22 10 5 7 29 30 -1 35
5 Waterford United 22 8 2 12 37 50 -13 26
6 Shelbourne 22 7 2 13 28 32 -4 23
7 Athlone Town 22 3 4 15 25 51 -26 13
8 Cabinteely 22 3 3 16 17 46 -29 12
UCD 2-3 Limerick
Limerick have made an immediate return to the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as they were crowned First Division champions following their 3-2 victory over UCD.
And Martin Russell’s Shannonsiders completed the feat in some style, as they have not lost a league game all season and have secured the title with six games to spare.
Enjoying plenty of early possession, UCD had the first opening of the game after three minutes with midfielder Greg Sloggett heading over from Marty Waters’ corner.
Minutes later College skipper Gary O’Neill then worked Freddy Hall for the first time with a long-range free kick.
Waters then cut in from the right flank to curl a left-footed shot just wide of the post as Limerick struggled to get into the game.
The home side took the lead after 24 minutes, and it was no more than UCD deserved.
Liam Scales and Jack Watson were involved before Ryan Swan got free on the left to loop a deep cross to the far post. Waters arrived to plant his header back across Hall to the far corner of the net.
The lead lasted just three minutes, as a lucky ricochet off UCD defender Josh Collins put John O’Flynn in on goal to calmly side-foot to the net for his 12th goal of the campaign.
UCD started the second half as they did the first, Hall having to save from Swan inside the opening minute before getting down even more smartly to push an O’Neill drive out for a corner four minutes later.
But it was Limerick who then took the lead with their first attack of the second half in the 54th minute.
Chris Kenny got to the end line to cross low into the area where midfielder O’Conor was on hand to tap home from just yards out.
The lead lasted just two minutes, as Jason McClelland’s deep corner was met at the back post with a towering header from Maxi Kouogun.
And Limerick had the final say 14 minutes from time to seal the title with a victory.
Shaun Kelly galloped to the end line to cross low for former Student O’Conor to score with a second tap in from close range to begin the celebrations from Limerick’s raucous travelling support.
UCD: Niall Corbett; Mark Langtry, Max Kouogun, Josh Collins, Liam Scales; Greg Sloggett, Gary O’Neill; Marty Waters (Jason Byrne 89), Jack Watson (Georgie Kelly 81), Jason McClelland (Daire O’Connor 73); Ryan Swan.
Limerick: Freddy Hall; Shaun Kelly (Garbhan Coughlan 84), Paudie O’Connor, Robbie Williams, Shane Tracy; Paul O’Conor, Shane Duggan; Stephen Kenny, Lee-J Lynch, Sean Russell (Aaron Greene 61); John O’Flynn (Chris Mulhall h-t).
Referee: Andrew Mullally (Waterford).
