Irish Premier Division 2024 - Title Race Analysis and Top Contenders

For so long during the 2024 Premier Division season it has appeared as if the title would be a two horse race between Damien Duff’s Shelbourne, seeking their first title since 2006 and Ruaidhri Higgins’ Derry City team, chasing a first Premier Division title since 1997. Instead, what has transpired over the closing weeks of the season however is the closest and most keenly contested Premier Division title race ever witnessed.

How Two became Five?

The closeness of the title race is mostly due to the fact that Shelbourne’s and Derry City’s form has stuttered at the worst possible time in the season, Shelbourne’s in particular has fallen off a cliff over the last ten matches. In contrast, the chasing pack of Shamrock Rovers, Galway United and St Patrick’s Athletic have all picked up and got better and better the closer we get to the finale.

Shelbourne have just one win to their name over the last ten matches, making the fact that they are still on top and in control of the title race all the more bizarre. Derry, too have struggled over the last ten games, winning just four of them, with their last League win coming against Waterford on August 23rd.

Shamrock Rovers 2-0 win over Shelbourne last weekend has brought them to within just two points of Duff’s team with three games to play for the 4 times defending champions. Stephen Bradley’s team have amassed 18 points over the last 10 matches to put themselves in a position to take advantage if there are any more slips by Shels or Derry between now and the end of the season.

Galway United have enjoyed a fairy tale return to the Premier Division in 2024. Their form over the last ten games has seen them earn a joint League high of 19 points to push them into the unlikely position of being League challengers in their first season back in the top flight.

St Pat’s fans must be wishing that Stephen Kenny had joined a couple of months earlier than his introduction as new Pat’s boss back in May. Admittedly what was a slow start under the former Irish boss has turned into one of the stories of the season as Stephen Kenny once again has shown what he is capable of in Irish club football. They along with Galway have the best form in the League at the moment, with 19 points from their last ten games.

How the Run In is Shaping Up

For Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Galway United, only three games remain in the 2024 season, but for St Pat’s and Derry City, they have four and five matches left respectively to try and win the League title.

Below we will take a look at all five title challengers remaining matches and how they could shape who will lift the 2024 Premier Division title on November 1st.

Shelbourne

Shelbourne have three games to play and find themselves on 54 points after 33 matches. Damien Duff’s team have to play Waterford and Drogheda at home in Tolka Park, before that clash with Derry City at the Ryan McBride Brandywell on the final day of the season, which could turn out to be a winner takes all clash for the title.

Derry City

Derry City have a Cup Final to look forward to on November 10th and are the only side capable of ending the season with a double. As a result of their Cup run the Candystripes find themselves with five League matches left to play this season and could find themselves top after they have completed their two games in hand over Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers. Ruaidhri Higgins’ men currently have 50 points from 31 games and also have the best goal difference of the five main challengers.

Shamrock Rovers

The Hoops’ European run has distorted their drive for a fifth League title run in a row but somehow Stephen Bradley’s men find themselves with a fighting chance of landing the League title with three games to play. Rovers sit second presently, having played two games more than Derry in third, and with games against Dundalk, Drogheda United and Waterford remaining. They are three very winnable matches for Shamrock Rovers which could see them reach 61 points.

Galway United

Galway find themselves in fourth spot with 50 points after 33 games with tough matches against St Pat’s, Sligo Rovers and Bohemians still to come as they fight to land a European place in their first season back up in the Premier Division. John Caulfield deserves great credit for the job he has done as he seeks to take Galway to an Irish equivalent of the Leicester City story.

St Patrick’s Athletic

Stephen Kenny’s team have 47 points after 32 games and have fixtures against Bohemians, Galway, Derry City and Sligo Rovers remaining in their 2024 campaign. They have done brilliantly to put themselves into a position of having a say on the destination of the title this year and that game against Derry City on October 25th might have a major say in how both side’s League season’s finish up.

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